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Vols rewarded as host of tennis regional
Lady Vols get Illinois, then third-seeded Georgia Tech
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Tennessee's men were rewarded for a 21-win tennis season Tuesday. They'll start the NCAA tournament right here at Varsity Courts.
The Lady Vols' 14-9 record was reflected in their tougher draw. They open against Illinois in Atlanta on May 9 at 3 p.m. If they win, they would face No. 3 seed and defending national champion Georgia Tech in the second round on May 10.
Tennessee's men (21-3) are the No. 8 seed in the 64-team bracket and host a four-team regional that includes three other teams the Vols have beaten this year.
UT's opening opponent is Furman (16-10) at 11 a.m. on May 10. Virginia Tech (15-8) faces Kentucky (12-15) at 2 p.m.
The winners meet at 2 p.m. on May 11 for the right to advance to the round of 16 in the main draw at Tulsa, Okla., May 16-20.
"We're happy to host,'' said UT coach Sam Winterbotham. "It was a goal of ours so that's one of our goals we've accomplished that we feel good about.
"Let's hope we're home every year.''
Tennessee last hosted first and second rounds in 2005.
Virginia landed the No. 1 overall seed and should be waiting in the quarterfinals should the Vols get that far. If seeds hold form, UT would play No. 9 Baylor in the round of 16.
Nine of 12 SEC teams are in the field.
Tennessee beat Furman 7-0 on Jan. 24. The Vols beat Virginia Tech 4-3 and topped Kentucky twice, 7-0 and 6-1.
"We certainly feel good that it's not anybody we don't know,'' said Winterbotham, who was named SEC coach of the year in his first season at Tennessee.
"We are familiar with their strengths. So are they, with ours.''
Tennessee's women, meanwhile, are using the layoff since a second-round SEC tournament exit on April 18 to get refocused and healthier.
Top players Caitlin Whoriskey and Ghizela Schutte have battled injuries much of the year. Whoriskey was unable to play singles in the SEC tournament loss to Vanderbilt.
"I think some of us need to get healed up mentally and some need to get healed up physically,'' co-head coach Sonia Hahn-Patrick said. "It's been wonderful to have this break.''
Tennessee beat Illinois (12-10) 6-1 in January.
"I think it's a good confidence-booster,'' Hahn-Patrick said.
Tennessee is No. 25 in this week's ITA rankings. Illinois is No. 36. Georgia Tech meets Alcorn State in the opening round.
The women's main draw also is in Tulsa. Northwestern is the No. 1 seed.
© 2008, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.
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Posted by GreerVol22 on April 30, 2008 at 8:32 a.m. (Suggest removal)
like i said in yesterdays article, Mike Tyson is reading nursery rhymes on PBS so i can't make it.
no jubblies in the ad section today, just some kinky pheramone ad. KNS, you really should hire someone with some web experience.
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