April 9, 2009

KENNESAW, Ga. - The Kennesaw State men's tennis team will attempt to end its inaugural season's home schedule on a high note when they welcome Mercer to the KSU Tennis Complex on Thursday. The match, the Owls last A-Sun tilt of the season, is scheduled to begin at 2 p.m.

"This being the final conference match for the men in their first ever season is exciting," said Kennesaw State Head Coach Brandon Padgett. "I hope the guys play with an elevated level of excitement and desperation."

The Owls have been strong at home where they have earned four of their six victories, including a 6-1 dismantling of A-Sun rival Florida Gulf Coast on March 28. The team is coming off a two-match trip to Nashville, Tenn. this past weekend, during which they split a pair of conference matches. They beat Lipscomb 4-3 on Friday before falling to Belmont 6-1 on Saturday.

Ryan Bouttell is the Owls leader in wins, coming into the match with an impressive 10-3 record. Bouttell is 6-1 against the A-Sun and 8-1 in his last ten matches. Tyler Mills, playing primarily at No. 2, has the team's second-most wins with seven.

The Bears are 7-12 overall as a team and 2-7 against Atlantic Sun Conference opponents. They are coming off of a 5-2 win over Lipscomb in their last match.

"This will be a very tough match for us," added Coach Padgett. "If we play to the best of our abilities, we have a good shot at winning."

The match is free to attend to all patrons, so come out and show your support for the Owls in their final match of the season in front of friendly fans. A recap of the action, including scores, will be available following the conclusion of play.