Tennis heads to Florida for West Florida Invitational

As the Nicholls State University tennis program wraps up its fall season, it will head to Pensacola, Fla. over fall break to participate in the West Florida Invitational.

Head coach Greg Harkins said the fall season has given the team a chance to get out on the court.

“The whole point of the fall is basically [for the team] to get as much match play experience [as possible],” Harkins said.

Harkins said the conclusion of the fall season will lead into the spring season filled with matchups across the region.

“For the spring, we head into what we call the ‘dual season.’ So, it’s a time to see how the lineups may shake out, if there are things that we need to work on technically within the team or individually. So, we try to play matches across the south; it just depends on where we can go and what’s available,” Harkins said.

The team leaves Thursday morning and begins competition Friday for the West Florida Invitational.

Sophomore player Marina Virgil said the tournament is simply single elimination.

“If you win one round, you go to the next round, but if you lose, you’re out,” Virgil said.

Sophomore player Eduardo Marino said the University of West Florida boasts a great program.

“They’re a good school,” Marino said. “They’re a top Division II school, so we’re expecting them to have good players there.”

This event will be the final tournament for the men’s team in the fall, but the women’s team will be in the SLU Fall Classic on Oct. 26 to wrap up its fall season.