SAULT STE. MARIE, Mich. – The Lake Superior State men's tennis team will kick off its 2019 season when it travels south for a five-match nonconference road trip.
The men's and women's teams begin match play when they travel to Ohio to play Findlay University on Saturday. The Lakers will play their next match against Tiffin University on Monday. Lake State will continue its travels to West Virginia to play Davis and Elkins College and West Virginia Wesleyan College. They will conclude their trip traveling back north with a stop in Southfield, Michigan to play Lawrence Tech on March 2.
While the women's team finished their GLIAC season in October with a 5-7 record overall and 4-5 mark in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, they made the conference tournament for the first time in seven seasons and placed fifth in the tournament. The men's team will begin its conference schedule on March 23 when the Lakers travel to play Northwood University at 11 a.m.
The Lakers welcome back their four starters from last season — Luis Valderrama, Joe Gilman, Diego Penz and Peter Summers.
Valderrama, a senior from Madrid, Spain, will look for a strong conference season and could hit 40-career wins in both doubles and singles in his final season. Valderrama has played multiple spots, ranging from No. 2 singles to No. 6 singles and he has played No. 1 to No. 3 doubles. Gilman, a native of Holt, Michigan, is a key piece for the Lakers. Gilman has played No. 1 singles for the past two seasons and is on pace for 30-career singles victories this season.
Diego Penz, a sophomore hailing from Germany, had an impressive freshman season with eight wins in both doubles and singles. He looks to add more experience to the Laker lineup. Rounding out the lineup for the Lakers are three freshmen: Harris Rehan and Ali Sahibzada from Pakistan, and Krishan Taneja from England.
Ogren, who will enter into his third full year at the helm of the program, will be looking to push his team to the GLIAC Tournament for the first time in eight years.
Lake Superior State will host five matches this spring. Matches are free of charge. Come support the Lakers at the Student Activity Center on March 23, 24, 30, and April 13 and 14, with all home matches beginning at 10 a.m. EST.
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