The Youngstown State men's tennis team opens Horizon League Championships play on Friday against UIC. The match at the Purdue University Schwartz Tennis Center at 11 a.m.
The Penguins finished in a three-way tie for second in the Horizon League regular season with a 4-2 mark. The Guins tied Valparaiso and Cleveland State for second but because of tiebreakers are the No. 4 seed. UIC is the fifth seed.
The Penguins (8-12) take on the Flames (6-12) for the second time in a week. YSU beat the Flames 6-1 last Saturday at the Boardman Tennis Center. UIC won the doubles point before the Penguins won all six singles matches. YSU is 1-2 against the Flames in the postseason dropping both contests in the first round. The Guins won a consolation match against UIC in 2013.
Last year YSU knocked off Wright State 4-3 in the semifinals before losing to Cleveland State 4-2 in the semifinals. It was the first time the Penguins advanced to the semifinals of the event in school history.
YSU's lineup will be Remi Chancerel at No. 1, Hugo Morth at No. 2, Bassem El Mekawi at No. 3, Silviu Mistreanu at No. 4, Dawoud Kabli at No. 5 and Victor Pereira in the sixth spot. Of the six, only Kabli and Mistreanu have played at the Horizon League event.
Chancerel led the team with nine dual wins and 19 singles victories on the year. He was 4-2 in his first year in league play all at No. 1.
Morth posted eight dual wins on the campaign while picking up a pair of Horizon League victories in the second spot.
Mekawi is coming off a win at No. 3 against Flames last week which was his first league win of his career.
The bottom half of the lineup has been strong combining for a 11-7 singles mark in conference action.
Mistreanu bounced back strong from shoulder surgery to post a 7-4 record in the spring and 4-2 league record. Two of his wins came in the three spot.
Kabli was 7-10 in spring dual matches and went 3-3 in league play.
Pereira, who joined the program in January, was 8-10 overall and 4-2 in conferences matches.
In doubles, Kabli and Perieira posted a 2-3 mark at No. 1 in HL action, Mistreanu and Chancerel were strong at No. 2 going 4-1 and Morth and Mekawi went 3-1. YSU was 9-6 in Horizon League doubles play this year.
The winner of the match takes on top-seed Green Bay at 11 a.m. on Saturday. The time of the match could change depending on weather. The forecast calls for rain and if that's the case, the match will move indoors and times for the matches will be juggled.
Single-day passes are $5 while a tournament pass is $12 for all three days.
