DETROIT (4/10/2014) -- Two big conference matches will take place this weekend for the University of Detroit Mercy men's tennis team as the Titans get on the court with Valparaiso and UIC.
 
Detroit opens the weekend against the Crusaders on Friday in a match that could be played outdoors on the Titan Tennis Courts at the James K. Campbell Complex at 3:00 p.m., or indoors at the Franklin Athletic Club at 7:00 p.m. On Sunday, UDM will host the Flames at 4:00 p.m., on campus. 
 
The Titans are 3-12, 0-3 in the HL, and will be looking to end a four-match slide and move up into the standings for a berth to the Horizon League Championship. Senior Bobby Cawood has six wins on the season, but is 2-1 in conference action – all at No. 1 – while freshman Patryk Koscielski paces the team with 10 singles wins.
 
Valpo comes into the match at 15-6 overall and 1-2 in the Horizon League with a 7-0 triumph over UIC, while falling to Wright State (4-3) and Green Bay (6-1). The Crusaders have also dropped three of their last four after winning seven in a row.
 
Jeffrey Schorsch leads the team with a 24-7 record and is 15-3 at No. 1 singles, while Dave Bacalla is 20-8 and 10-5 at No. 2. Schorsch has also teamed with Charlie Emhardt for a 15-1 mark in doubles.
 
Detroit and Valpo have split eight career meetings with the red, white and blue winning the last four by scores of 4-3, 6-1, 6-1 and 7-0.
 
UIC is 3-9 on the year and 0-3 in league play and has lost five in a row coming into Sunday's match. The Flames have dropped 7-0 bouts to Valparaiso and Green Bay and a 6-1 affair to Wright State already.
 
The Titans are 1-7 all-time against the Flames and are 1-4 since 2008, but the matches have been really close with two of those defeats by just one point, 4-3.
 
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