Vanguard opens NAIA Tournament

The Vanguard University men’s and women’s tennis teams will continue

their seasons at the NAIA Tournament with first-round matches today

in Peachtree City, Ga.

Matches will be played through Friday at either the Peachtree City

Tennis Center or the South Fulton Tennis Club.

Vanguard opens first-round action at the PCTC Monday with the

men’s team playing Walsh University (15-4) from Ohio at 11 a.m. EST.

The Lion women’s squad will play Virginia Intermont (13-3) at 1 p.m.

EST.

The Lions’ men and women finished second at the Region II

Tournament last week. Both earned at-large berths into the men’s and

women’s tournaments based on their performance this season and their

positions in the NAIA final rankings.

The Vanguard men’s team makes its eighth appearance at the

national level, the first since 2001, by taking the fifth of 11

at-large entries into the 24-team field. The Lions were ranked No. 10

in the final NAIA poll, while Walsh was ranked No. 26. Both teams are

unseeded.

The VU women slipped in as the seventh of 12 at-large picks. The

Lions (14-12) are among four Golden State Athletic Conference teams

to qualify for the tournament. The Lions were No. 14 in the last NAIA

poll. This is the third national tournament for the Vanguard women,

the first since 1999.