The Dons wrap up their regular season with a pair of home matches this weekend as USF plays host to Gonzaga on Friday and Portland on Saturday. Friday's first serve is set for 12:30 p.m. at the Olympic Club while Saturday's match gets underway at 1 p.m. at the Cal Club.
Saturday's match against Portland is Senior Day and
Bernardo Saraiva,
James Tallman and
Johan Samuelsson will be honored prior to the match. Saraiva has been a well-decorated athlete in his four years at USF. He was a first team All-WCC performer singles performer last season and along with partner
Nils Skajaa, has twice earned first team all-conference doubles recognition.
This season, Saraiva has compiled a 15-2 dual match record and is 4-1 in WCC play at the No. 1 singles position. Of his 15 victories, all but one have come in straight sets. He teamed with Skajaa to win the USTA ITA Northwest Regional title at Stanford in October, which was one of the biggest wins in school history.
Tallman has racked up an 11-2 dual record, including a 4-2 mark, at the No. 3 position in the lineup while Samuelsson has seen most of his action at the No. 6 position.
"We are looking forward to finishing our season strong this weekend," said USF head coach
Pablo Pires de Almeida. "Our seniors are motivated to get our team to the best finish in program modern era history."
"All three of these players have elevated the level of our team in different ways. We are ready to send them off in a big way with positive showings Friday and Saturday."
USF brings an 11-8 overall match and a 4-3 conference ledger into Friday's competition with the Bulldogs, who are 10-8 overall and 2-5 in WCC play. The Dons defeated Gonzaga, 5-2 last season in Spokane, Washington.
