The Presbyterian Blue Hose (10-9) plays the UNC Asheville Bulldogs (11-9) in the Big South Tournament quarterfinals on Thursday, April 16, at 2 p.m. The match is a rematch of last Saturday's regular-season finale, which the Blue Hose won 6-1. The winner of the match advances to the semifinals to play top seed Gardner-Webb on Friday, April 17, at 3 p.m.
The Tournament will be played at the Lexington County Tennis Complex in Lexington, South Carolina.
A LOOK AT THE BLUE HOSE
Presbyterian coach
Juan Pablo Boada is in his second season at the helm of the program. Presbyterian returned three letterwinners: senior
David Mamalat and sophomores
Daksh Prasad and
Eduardo Valentin. Joining those three returners are newcomers junior
Matija Samardzic, sophomore
Gabriel Godoy, and freshmen
Thomas Anderson,
Victor Mayer, and
Dario Navarro. This fall, Mamalat and Samardzic captured the doubles title at the Big South Individual Championship and advanced to the quarterfinals of the ITA Conference Masters Championship. Every Blue Hose posted singles and doubles wins during the fall's tournament season.
This spring, Samardzic leads the team with 12 singles wins. Prasad is second on the team with 10 wins. Mamalat has tallied ten wins. Valentin has recorded nine singles wins. Navarro has tallied six wins. The doubles tandem of Mamalat and Samardzic has picked up a team-leading 14 wins all at number one doubles.
BIG SOUTH TITLES
Presbyterian has captured three Big South Tournament titles in 2017, 2021, and 2023. PC has reached the Big South Championship match six times in the program's history: 2012, 2013, 2016, 2017, 2021, and 2023.
The Blue Hose have won three regular-season titles in 2014, 2017, and 2023.
BIG SOUTH WEEKLY HONORS
On February 25, Navarro was named the Big South Conference Freshman of the Week. Navarro was the 20th player in the program's history to earn the Big South Freshman of the Week award. Navarro played an integral role in helping the Blue Hose beat Wofford, 4-3, on the road on February 17. At number two doubles, he teamed with Anderson to post a 6-4 win, which clinched the doubles point for the Blue Hose. Then, he clinched the overall victory for the Blue Hose with PC's fourth win of the match with a 6-2, 6-4 victory at number five singles.
On March 4, Samardzic was named Big South Conference Player of the Week. Samardzic was the 15th player in the program's history to earn the Big South Freshman of the Week award. He won both his singles and doubles matches in helping the Blue Hose pick up a 4-3 road win at Chattanooga. He teamed with Mamalat for a 6-1 win at number one doubles, helping the Blue Hose capture the doubles point. Then, he recorded a 6-1, 2-6, 6-2 win at number three singles.
On April 1, Samardzic claimed his second Big South Player of the Week award. He was the eighth player in the program's history to earn multiple Big South Player of the Week awards in the same season. He went 2-0 at number one singles and 2-0 at number one doubles that week. In Presbyterian's hard-fought, narrow 4-3 road loss at No. 73 Kennesaw State on March 23. He posted a 7-5, 6-2 win at number one singles. Then, he teamed with Mamalat to tally a 7-5 win at number one doubles, helping the Blue Hose capture the doubles point. In Presbyterian's 7-0 road win at former Big South Conference foe Campbell on March 28. He picked up a 6-2, 6-1 win at number one singles. Then he teamed with Mamalat to win 6-3 at number one doubles, which helped the Blue Hose capture the doubles point.
On April 14, Mamalat was named the Big South Player of the Week, becoming the 16th player in the program's history to earn the honor. Mamalat recorded a straight-sets win at number one singles in Presbyterian's win over UNC Asheville. He also teamed with Samardzic for a 6-2 win at number one doubles, helping the Blue Hose capture the doubles point.
