APSU Sports Information
Clarksville, TN – Austin Peay State University men’s tennis team begins play in the Ohio Valley Conference Championships against sixth-seeded Belmont, 10:00am, Friday, at the Centennial SportsPlex.
The third-ranked Governors (7-10, 6-3 OVC) enter the postseason field for the eighth consecutive season, and fourth under the tutelage of Ross Brown.
![Austin Peay Men's Tennis. (APSU Sports Information) Austin Peay Men's Tennis. (APSU Sports Information)](https://www.clarksvilleonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/APSU-Mens-Tennis-30-480x322.jpg)
The 2016 season has been a rollercoaster for APSU, opening the nonconference slate with a 0-5 record. The Govs got off to a slow start in OVC play as well, losing its first two matches, but caught fire when returning home to host SIU Edwardsville. Since then, the Governors are 7-3, with six of those victories coming against conference foes.
Austin Peay has filled a consistent lineup throughout the year, led by experienced juniors Aaron Jumonville and Manuel Montenegro. Jumonville has been the team’s No. 1 in all but one match, while Montenegro has a team-best eight wins on the year (seven OVC).
But breakout candidate Almantas Ozelis has been key to APSU’s success, recording seven wins at the No. 2 spot as a freshman. In doubles, he and teammate Aleh Drobysh have been excellent – 9-2, 8-0 OVC record.
Speaking of freshmen, the Govs will start two additional newcomers in the starting singles lineup behind Drobysh’s No. 4 slot. Alex Kartsonis and Chad Woodham each have 4-10 records, and are also doubles teammates where they have gone 3-7 overall.
The Govs defeated Belmont, 4-3, in Clarksville during the regular season. The Bruins are led by Cedric Dujaquier, the team’s No. 1 player with a 16-11 record. In addition, Robin Demasse, Zak Khan and Adam Rudowski have all eclipsed the 10-win total.