WILLIAMSBURG, Va. – The William & Mary men's tennis team kicks off a three-match homestand with a pair of tilts inside the McCormack-Nagelsen Tennis Center this weekend. The Green and Gold welcomes reigning Atlantic 10 Champion George Washington on Friday, Feb. 17, at 4 p.m., before hosting DePaul on Sunday, Feb. 19, at 11 a.m. Following doubles play at both matches, Tribe tennis will offer FREE pizza to fans, while supplies last.
 
Scouting the Tribe
The Tribe is coming off a five-match road swing and sits at 4-5 on the year. Most recently, the Green and Gold battled close with No. 17-ranked Illinois, before falling on Valentine's Day, 4-0, in Charlottesville. Seniors Addison Appleby (No. 3) and Damon Niquet (No. 5) both won sets in their matches against the Illini, but their contests were abandoned with the team result decided. At the top singles position, senior Aidan Talcott was down a set to No. 21-ranked Aron Hiltzik, but led the nationally-ranked Illini player by a break in the second, 4-2, when his match was halted. The Tribe split its matches last weekend. W&M fell to CAA foe Elon, 5-2, in a match that was decided by five, three-set singles matches, before rolling to a 6-1 win over Big South favorite Winthrop. Niquet went 2-0 in singles action during the weekend and leads the Tribe at 6-2 in dual-match play and 9-8 overall. Against Winthrop, the Green and Gold took the doubles point with wins at the top two positions, including the clinching victory at No. 2 from Appleby and sophomore Tristan Bautil. Talcott and junior Ryan Newman picked up their 10th pairs win of the season at the top post. In singles action, the Green and Gold received straight-set wins from Niquet and juniors Christian Cargill and Alec Miller. Talcott and Appleby posted three-set victories as well against the Eagles.
 
Scouting George Washington
George Washington enters the weekend at 5-3 on the year, following a 7-0 victory over Monmouth on Feb. 12. The Colonials also own wins over Grand View, 6-0, and Northern Illinois, 5-2, in Des Moines, at Austin Peay, 6-1, and home vs. Morgan State, 4-0. All three GW losses have come on the road to Drake, 6-1, Middle Tennessee, 4-3, and Florida State, 4-0. Along with the match against the Tribe, the Colonials take on DePaul on Saturday. George Washington has won five of the last six A-10 Championships, including each of the last three. GW is under the direction of first-year head coach David Macpherson, who takes over after coaching the Bryan Brothers on the professional tour for 11 years. Senior Julius Tverijonas, who was ranked No. 13 in the ITA Atlantic Region following the fall, is GW's top player. He is 15-7 on the year, including a 3-3 mark at the No. 1 singles post. Junior Chris Reynolds is 5-3 for the Colonials between No. 1 and No. 2 singles. Junior Chris Fletcher, who plays primarily at No. 3, and freshman Dennis Afansaev, who plays at the back half of the lineup, are both 9-5 in singles play. Fletcher and Tverijonas are GW's top doubles team at 8-3 overall and 2-1 at No. 1.
 
Series History: W&M vs. George Washington
The Tribe leads the all-time series with George Washington at 14-2, including a 10-1 mark in Williamsburg. The Green and Gold has won the last five meetings between the programs, but Friday will be the first meeting since 2012. The Tribe downed GW, 4-1, as part of the Tribe Kickoff event at the McCormack-Nagelsen Tennis Center.
 
Scouting DePaul
DePaul travels to Williamsburg with a 6-0 record during the 2017 campaign. The Blue Demons meet George Washington at the McCormack-Nagelsen Tennis Center on Saturday, before facing the Tribe on Sunday. DePaul owns home wins over UIC, 6-1, Green Bay, 5-2, Detroit, 6-1, Chicago State, 7-0, Monmouth, 6-1, and Lewis, 5-2, during its season-opening six-match win streak. Senior Nathan de Veer is the Blue Demon's top player, tallying a 12-3 singles ledger, including a perfect 6-0 mark at the No. 1 position. Classmate Tim Corwin is 11-3 on the season and a 5-1 in dual-match play. de Veer and junior Alex Galoustian comprise DePaul's top doubles team. The duo is 7-2 overall and 5-0 at No. 1. The freshman tandem of Christopher Casati and Fran Tonejc are also 7-2 in doubles play, including a 4-0 dual-match mark.
 
Series History: W&M vs. DePaul
The Tribe leads the all-time series with DePaul at 2-0. W&M edged the Blue Demons in both instances, including a 4-3 triumph in the most recent tilt in Williamsburg during the 2010 season. The first meeting between the team came in 1999 when the Tribe topped DePaul, 4-2, in Notre Dame, Ind.