Spartan return to SoCon play at The Citadel on Thursday

Orcun Seyrek

UNCG (4-6, 1-0 SoCon) at The Citadel (4-4, 0-1 SoCon), March 8, 1 p.m., Charleston, S.C.

Storylines

- UNCG's men's tennis team returns to Southern Conference play Thursday when it takes on The Citadel in Charleston, S.C.

- The Spartans dropped a 5-2 decision at Coastal Carolina on Tuesday. Orcun Seyrek and Ahmet Sarioglu picked up wins for UNCG at Nos. 1 and 2 singles, respectively, while Randy Phillips and Chanon Varapongsittikul earned a win at No. 2 doubles.

- UNCG opened SoCon play with a gritty 4-3 win at Georgia Southern on Sunday. The Spartans rallied for the win after dropping the doubles point and the first set in four of the six singles matches. After trailing 5-4 in his third set, freshman Cameron Smith won his final three games to clinch the match for UNCG with a 7-6 (7-3), 2-6, 7-5 victory at No. 5.

- Seyrek, a senior, is ranked 11^th in singles in the Carolinas Region by the ITA. A three-time All-Southern Conference selection, Seyrek was 20-11 in singles last year, marking his third straight season with 20+ singles wins.

- Sarioglu, a sophomore, leads the team in singles wins with a 12-7 mark on the season and is 6-4 in dual play. Seyrek is second on the squad in wins and has pushed his record over .500 at 9-8 with a 6-4 dual mark. In doubles play, Sarioglu and Seyrek are a team-best 8-6 with a 6-4 mark at No. 1. Phillips and Varapongsittikul are 8-7 with a 4-6 mark at No. 2.

- UNCG has alternated wins and losses over its last four matches.

- The Citadel, which hosts James Madison on Wednesday, enters that match 4-4 with an 0-1 mark in SoCon play. The Bulldogs dropped a 7-0 decision to Elon on Sunday to kick off their current six-match homestand.

- This week is a busy one for the Bulldogs. Since the loss to Elon, The Citadel dropped a 5-2 decision to East Carolina on Tuesday before facing JMU on Wednesday and the Spartans on Thursday.

- Elliott Sperr leads The Citadel in singles wins with a 6-2 mark, as he is 3-1 at No. 5 and 3-1 at No. 6. James Atkinson and Alex Howle have four wins each.

- In doubles play, Howle and Sperr are 4-4 together at No. 3, while Peter Bleach and David Orces are 4-2 at No. 1.

- UNCG and Coastal last met on April 3 of last season, with the Spartans taking a 7-0 win in Greensboro. The Spartans have won three straight over the Bulldogs.

- The squads both sent representatives to the USTA/ITA Carolinas Regional Championships in Chapel Hill, N.C., in October but did not face each other.

- Up next for the Spartans after CCU, UNCG returns home to host Chattanooga on Sunday at 12 p.m.

- UNCG -