DATE: Feb. 19, 2016

2015 Stats at a Glance PC SEW Record 10-8 16-6 Conf. Record 6-3 5-0 Top Doubles Record 12-6 13-9 Top Singles Record 8-10 14-7 Doubles Sweeps 8 8 Singles Sweeps 5 5

TIME: 3 pm ET
LOCATION: Sewanee, TN
FACILITY: Bruton-Guerry Tennis Center
TWITTER: @PiedmontLions
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Demorest, GA - Over the last three seasons, the Piedmont College men's tennis team has navigated a very challenging move to the USA South Athletic Conference after more than a decade of domination in the Great South Athletic Conference.  However, Head Tennis Coach Shane Wood believes now is the time for his team to step up in perhaps one of the toughest tennis leagues in the South.

"The biggest thing for us is what we are trying to build towards," said Wood. "We've had, in the tournament, a couple of semifinal visits, but we want to build off of that. We don't want to settle for that every year.  We want to see if we can take the next step and be a contender to go all the way to that championship match."

For those familiar with the history of Piedmont tennis under Coach Wood, championship aspirations should be no surprise.  The leader of the Green and Gold for 13 seasons, Coach Wood has piled up more than 300 career victories and led his men's team to GSAC Championships in eight of the team's nine years as a league member under his leadership.

Wood won't be short of weapons in 2016 to help his team achieve those goals as the New Zealand duo returns to lead the Lions with brothers from down under MATTHEW METZGER and NATHAN METZGER returning for a second straight campaign together.  The two compiled a 12-6 record in doubles play and spent the entire season in 2015 as PC's 1 & 2 in singles play. 

"Those two (Matt and Nathan) are very talented players, some of the better players in the conference," said Wood. " I would definitely expect them to continue to build on their success this season as well."

New players will join the lineup in '16 to replace departing veterans MASON RIZA and TREY MARTIN from last season as well.  They will have large shoes to fill, but Martin will continue his work with the program as a new graduate assistant coach, a role that Wood believes suites him perfectly.

"He's (Martin) a Piedmont guy, he knows the program. So when he jumps in on the court, he knows what I expect in terms of how practice is run and about what we need to get done that day," said Wood. "He's doing a great job as a recruiter, and it's been a good transition for him so far."

Stepping in to fill those gaps will be young rising pieces like BRYAN BARNETT who posted a 6-5 record last season in singles play.  Additionally, newcomers like HARRISON LABOLLITA will also be leaned on, though the freshman is likely to handle the pressure well having won a doubles state championship during his high school days before getting onto the courts at Burgen. 

The first taste of competition for some of the younger players will be strong as the Lions head up to Tennessee to take on perrenial power Sewanee.  It's an opponent that Piedmont is familiar with having faced the Tigers in each of the last four seasons, but PC is looking for its first win in the series over the last six meetings overall, a tall task against the national power. 

"Sewanee has a nationally renowed team in terms of men's and women's tennis," said Wood. "Their coaches have been there forever, and have been doing well just as long. It is a measuring stick for us, we like to go up there and play a really good opponent right off the bat just to get us ready for down the road and see where we are."

The Lions will know exactly where they stand as it all starts at the home of the Tigers on Friday, February 19 against Sewanee with the match slated to start at 3:00 pm.  Fans should continue to check the home of the Tigers on the web, SewaneeTigers.com for match changes or results.  

STORYLINES
--Piedmont opens the 2016 season with the contest at Sewanee
--Metzgers, Matt and Nathan, return to lead the team as veterans
--Replacing MASON RIZA and TREY MARTIN from 2015

GAME FACTS
The Lions are taking on the Tigers in Sewanee, Tennessee on Friday, February 19 in the men's tennis season opener with the match slated for a 3:00 pm start.  

THE COACHES' CORNER: A TAKE FROM HEAD COACH SHANE WOOD 
On new Graduate Assistant Coach TREY MARTIN:  "He's a Piedmont guy, he knows the program. So when he jumps in on the court, he knows what I expect in terms of how practice is run and about what we need to get done that day.  The other part of his hire, something I've already seen sending him out on the recruiting trail, is that he really loves this school. He's very good one-on-one with recruits, and he's had a lot of kids on campus already this year just sharing his experiences as a student-athlete.  He's doing a great job as a recruiter, and it's been a good transition for him so far."

On the replacement of some missing veteran pieces: "We did lose some veteran guys last year (TREY MARTIN, MASON RIZA), but we're excited about the guys we have to cover those roles. We're going to look to some of our sophomores to play a more vital role this year, specifically guys like BRYAN BARNETT who played some in singles and doubles last year.  He's going to be asked to play more, and I think he's ready for that challenge.  He's a very talented kid who works very hard, didn't get much time in the lineup last year because of some of our upperclassmen, but he's going to be one of those guys who sees an expanded role in the lineup."

Highlighting some new additions: "HARRISON LABOLLITA is a guy who won a state championship as a doubles player, and has come in as a really passionate worker in practice.  He reallys love to drill and grind, and he's jumped in with the guys doing a really good job blending in with the team.  He's going to get alot of playing time as well, has a big serve, gonna help us alot in doubles and singles.  He's one of those kids who just goes to work, and I think he has alot of potential."

Talking 2016 season opener: "Sewanee has a nationally renowed team in terms of men's and women's tennis.  Their coaches have been there forever, and have been doing well just as long. It is a measuring stick for us, we like to go up there and play a really good opponent right off the bat just to get us ready for down the road and see where we are. Knowing that you have that level of opponent ahead, I preach to the kids there's no need to be nervous or hold anything back.  You know these guys are good, they've got the pedigree, so let's go up there and compete with them holding nothing back."

PREVIOUS MEETINGS
Sewanee has taken all six meetings in the series since the 2008 season winning three of the match-ups by 9-0 sweeps. The two have met in each of the last four seasons.  All of the previous six meetings in the series have come away from Burgen Tennis Courts.

SCOUTING SEWANEE (Southern Athletic Association)
Sewanee is coming off a 16-6 season that saw the Tigers fall in the first round of the NCAA National Championship Tournament by a 5-0 scoreline to Whitman.  The Tigers went a perfect 5-0 in SAA play to win the regular season championship in the league as well winning the tourney title with a 6-2 decision over Millsaps in the final.  Sewanee has already won a pair of matches this spring season defeating Tennessee Wesleyan 8-1 on February 6 in the 2016 opener before defeating Centre 9-0 on Valentine's Day. Coming in with a 2-0 record, Sewanee is looking to move to 7-0 in the last seven meetings in the series with Piedmont. 

DON'T MESS WITH THE METZGERS
Piedmont's New Zealand connection has been producing big results in the last two seasons with brothers NATHAN METZGER and MATTHEW METZGER combining to help Piedmont to a semifinal appearance in 2015.  The two typically play as Piedmont's #1 doubles pairing posting a 12-6 record last season together winning seven of the last eight doubles contests they played. 

FEELING THE PRESSURE
The Lions have been playing well in the USA South the last few years, and coaches around the league are starting to take notice.  Piedmont was picked to finish 3rd in the USA South Preseason Coaches Poll, the highest the Lions have been picked since becoming a league member prior to the 2013 season.  Last season, the Lions went 6-3 in conference play to finish as the 4th seed in the league championship tournament knocking off LaGrange in the quarters before falling to eventual tourney champ NC Wesleyan in the semifinals.  The Lions have made a semifinal appearance in the USA South Championship Tournament each year as a league member.

NEXT UP FOR PIEDMONT
The Lions stay on the road for a neutral site match against Transylvania at Sewanee on February 20 with the match set to take place in one of two facilities of the Tigers' home site, the outdoor Bruton-Guerry Tennis Center or the indoor Charlotte Guerry Indoor Tennis Courts.