Friday, April 22
Fort Myers, Fla.
4 P.M.
Jax State
vs
Liberty University
4/21/2022 9:35:00 AM | Men's Tennis
JACKSONVILLE – For the first time since 2003, the Jacksonville State men's tennis team will take part in the ASUN Conference Championships, taking on Liberty on April 22, at 4 p.m. in Fort Myers, Fla.
The Gamecocks enter the tournament as the sixth and final team in the field after a thrilling 5-2Â win over Lipscomb last week. Reigning ASUN Player of the Week and fifth year senior, Joaquin Vallejo, clinched the match win and a tournament berth with a 1-6, 7-5, 6-0 win from his familiar No. 1 position.
"We feel really good after making the tournament our first year back in the ASUN," said Head Coach Mike Mucci, "It was a difficult season in some ways, we had so many close losses against top-75 teams, and we really feel like we are right there against everybody in the conference. We are peaking at the right time. We feel like all the guys are gelling. We have good team chemistry because of our seniors. We are excited to have one more trip, at least."
JSU finished the ASUN schedule with a 3-5 record that included a trio of 4-3 losses to No. 70 North Florida, No. 75 Kennesaw State and Stetson – all of which are in the conference tournament. In addition, JSU recorded wins over North Alabama (5-2), Bellarmine (4-1) and Lipscomb (5-2).
Overall, JSU posted an 8-9 overall record in Head Coach Mike Mucci's second season in Jacksonville.
The Gamecocks enter the conference tournament against No. 67 Liberty, who boasts a 10-10 overall record and a 6-2 mark in ASUN action. The Flames are the No. 3 seed in the tournament. Despite finishing the regular season at .500, the Flames have faced 12 Top-75 ranked teams in the ITA Collegiate Tennis Rankings and are 3-9 against those opponents. Â
JSU and the Flames previously met on Mar. 25, in Lynchburg, Va., as Liberty downed the Gamecocks 5-2 at home. Vanja Dobrnjac and Jordi Blanchar added the points with wins in singles competition.
Blanchar leads JSU in wins this season with a 10-5 overall mark in singles, but senior Thomas Norwood and ASUN All-Freshman team selection, Vicente Arbelaez, each lead the way with a .642-win percentage.
Liberty's Josh Wilson was a unanimous All-ASUN First Team selection and leads the Flames with a .705-win percentage. Wilson is 12-5 overall, 6-1 from the No. 1 position, 6-4 from the No. 2 position, and 6-1 in ASUN competition.
On the season, JSU has won 9-of-17 doubles points and is 6-3 when doing so. The Gamecocks enter the postseason having won the doubles point in each of the last two matches.
"I think we are playing our best doubles of the year right now. We won the doubles point against Florida Gulf Coast who's the number one seed; we won the doubles point really easily against Lipscomb which is great heading into the tournament. I think getting that doubles point and getting off to a 1-0 lead makes things a lot easier. I think some of our guys at the top of the lineup are going to have to step up against Liberty, they have some of the best players in the conference. If we can win a coupe of those top spots, I think we have enough strength at the bottom to get to four points."
Mucci's 2022 squad is a mix of youth and experience, comprised of five seniors and seven underclassmen. The normal singles lineup features a mix of senior's and underclassmen as Joaquin Vallejo, Jordi Blanchar and Thomas Norwood head up the senior leadership, while freshman Vicente Arbelaez and sophomore's Vanja Dobrnjac and Maj Tomac have stepped up throughout the season. In addition, freshman Daisuke Inagawa has been important at times for the Gamecocks as he has compiled a 2-0 record in conference play from the No. 6 position. Fifth year senior Alexander Vishnevskiy has been an important part of JSU's double's play this season and has recorded six wins alongside Norwood and Vallejo.
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"The senior leadership has been incredible," said Mucci. "I have never seen a group of seniors that are as this on top of things or as good with their teammates. The way they talk to the other players and lead by example has been helpful to me in my second season. I came into a new program and didn't have to worry about things that a lot of coaches have to worry about with team culture and things like that, so it's really been a blessing to have those guys."
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Live stats for Friday's first round matchup will be available at JSUGamecocksports.com. The winner will move on to face No. 2 seed Kennesaw State on Saturday, April 23, in the semifinals.
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Stay up to date with JSU men's tennis at JSUGamecocksports.com and on social media @JSUGamecocksTN. Â Â
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The Gamecocks enter the tournament as the sixth and final team in the field after a thrilling 5-2Â win over Lipscomb last week. Reigning ASUN Player of the Week and fifth year senior, Joaquin Vallejo, clinched the match win and a tournament berth with a 1-6, 7-5, 6-0 win from his familiar No. 1 position.
"We feel really good after making the tournament our first year back in the ASUN," said Head Coach Mike Mucci, "It was a difficult season in some ways, we had so many close losses against top-75 teams, and we really feel like we are right there against everybody in the conference. We are peaking at the right time. We feel like all the guys are gelling. We have good team chemistry because of our seniors. We are excited to have one more trip, at least."
JSU finished the ASUN schedule with a 3-5 record that included a trio of 4-3 losses to No. 70 North Florida, No. 75 Kennesaw State and Stetson – all of which are in the conference tournament. In addition, JSU recorded wins over North Alabama (5-2), Bellarmine (4-1) and Lipscomb (5-2).
Overall, JSU posted an 8-9 overall record in Head Coach Mike Mucci's second season in Jacksonville.
The Gamecocks enter the conference tournament against No. 67 Liberty, who boasts a 10-10 overall record and a 6-2 mark in ASUN action. The Flames are the No. 3 seed in the tournament. Despite finishing the regular season at .500, the Flames have faced 12 Top-75 ranked teams in the ITA Collegiate Tennis Rankings and are 3-9 against those opponents. Â
JSU and the Flames previously met on Mar. 25, in Lynchburg, Va., as Liberty downed the Gamecocks 5-2 at home. Vanja Dobrnjac and Jordi Blanchar added the points with wins in singles competition.
Blanchar leads JSU in wins this season with a 10-5 overall mark in singles, but senior Thomas Norwood and ASUN All-Freshman team selection, Vicente Arbelaez, each lead the way with a .642-win percentage.
Liberty's Josh Wilson was a unanimous All-ASUN First Team selection and leads the Flames with a .705-win percentage. Wilson is 12-5 overall, 6-1 from the No. 1 position, 6-4 from the No. 2 position, and 6-1 in ASUN competition.
On the season, JSU has won 9-of-17 doubles points and is 6-3 when doing so. The Gamecocks enter the postseason having won the doubles point in each of the last two matches.
"I think we are playing our best doubles of the year right now. We won the doubles point against Florida Gulf Coast who's the number one seed; we won the doubles point really easily against Lipscomb which is great heading into the tournament. I think getting that doubles point and getting off to a 1-0 lead makes things a lot easier. I think some of our guys at the top of the lineup are going to have to step up against Liberty, they have some of the best players in the conference. If we can win a coupe of those top spots, I think we have enough strength at the bottom to get to four points."
Mucci's 2022 squad is a mix of youth and experience, comprised of five seniors and seven underclassmen. The normal singles lineup features a mix of senior's and underclassmen as Joaquin Vallejo, Jordi Blanchar and Thomas Norwood head up the senior leadership, while freshman Vicente Arbelaez and sophomore's Vanja Dobrnjac and Maj Tomac have stepped up throughout the season. In addition, freshman Daisuke Inagawa has been important at times for the Gamecocks as he has compiled a 2-0 record in conference play from the No. 6 position. Fifth year senior Alexander Vishnevskiy has been an important part of JSU's double's play this season and has recorded six wins alongside Norwood and Vallejo.
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"The senior leadership has been incredible," said Mucci. "I have never seen a group of seniors that are as this on top of things or as good with their teammates. The way they talk to the other players and lead by example has been helpful to me in my second season. I came into a new program and didn't have to worry about things that a lot of coaches have to worry about with team culture and things like that, so it's really been a blessing to have those guys."
Â
Live stats for Friday's first round matchup will be available at JSUGamecocksports.com. The winner will move on to face No. 2 seed Kennesaw State on Saturday, April 23, in the semifinals.
Â
Stay up to date with JSU men's tennis at JSUGamecocksports.com and on social media @JSUGamecocksTN. Â Â
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Players Mentioned
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/ Men's Tennis
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/ Men's Tennis
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