No. 39 Auburn returns to non-conference action this weekend with a 2 p.m. CT match Friday at No. 27 Tulane. The match, rescheduled from a February 5 contest postponed by inclement weather, will be played at the City Park Tennis Center in New Orleans.
The Tigers, after facing ranked opponents in seven of their last eight matches, are 6-9 on the season and 2-5 in SEC play. Tulane comes into the match with an 8-5 record.
"We are hoping for good weather and from a competitive standpoint, they are tough at the one, two and three, where they have three fifth-year seniors playing." Auburn head coach Bobby Reynolds said about the match with the Green Wave.
"For us, Tyler Stice at number one is having such an amazing year. It's his mentality and his game style; there are a lot of people that don't want to play Tyler Stice, because they know they are in for an absolute war, whether he wins or loses the first set," Reynolds said about the SEC newcomer of the week. "That's a great asset to have at the top of your lineup, especially as a young player.
"At two and three, we are going to have to show up against their experience; we have had opportunities and that is where we have to be a little bit better and capitalize on some of those games where we have a lot of break points.
"Then I look at our four, five and six and it's our freshmen versus their freshmen. That's where we have to be a little better, maybe more mentally tough and put more balls in the court, and be a little more 'meat and potatoes' with basics. If we can do that, although they are a very good team, we can get out of there with the win."
The Green Wave has two players nationally ranked in singles: No. 40 Hamish Stewart and No. 53 Ewan Moore.
Auburn returns to SEC action the following weekend at No. 10 Texas A&M and No. 42 LSU. The Tigers' next home match is Friday, April 2, against No. 18 Ole Miss.
