The University of Mississippi Athletics
SEC West On The Line As Rebels Host Auburn/Alabama
4/7/2010 | Men's Tennis
OXFORD, Miss. - There have been many big weekends in Ole Miss men's tennis history, and this weekend ranks right up there, as the Rebels, ranked No. 17 in the nation, host Auburn and Alabama with the SEC Western Division Championship on the line.
Ole Miss enters the weekend at 13-5 overall and 4-4 in the SEC, while Auburn is 8-9 overall and 4-4 in conference.
"We're tied with Auburn for the SEC Western Division, so this is a big weekend for us," head coach Billy Chadwick said. "We feel like going into the match it's very even. This is a really good Auburn team and a very good Alabama team. We're going to have to be at our best, and we want to encourage everyone to come out and help us win the SEC West Championship."
Friday's match against Auburn begins at 2 p.m., and the first 100 fans will receive a free t-shirt compliments of the Oxford T-shirt Company.
The Rebels have played three straight top 10 teams and lost all three, so they are looking to rebound with their final four matches at home.
"Again we need to win the doubles point, because we saw it against Tennessee if you don't win the doubles point it's so hard to win those types of matches," Marcel Thiemann said. "Everyone was playing well, especially against Georgia, but we didn't have that bit of luck we needed. We just have to keep fighting and find a way to win. We are still playing well."
Ole Miss has won 22 straight against Auburn, including last year's 6-1 win in Auburn. The Rebels are 7-1 at home this year.
On Sunday, the Rebels will host Alabama at 1 p.m. Ole Miss has won three straight and eight of the last nine against Alabama.
Admission to both matches is free.
