LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The Bellarmine men's and women's tennis teams are back in action this weekend, each playing a pair of matches. 

The men's team hosts Butler on Friday at 3:00 p.m. and travels to North Alabama for an ASUN match on Sunday at 11:00 a.m. ET (10:00 a.m. CT). 

The women's team stays in conference and on the road as the Knights face Central Arkansas on Friday at 1:00 p.m. ET (12:00 p.m. CT) and North Alabama on Sunday at 3:00 p.m. (2:00 p.m. CT).

Bellarmine's men's team is coming off a home split against Lipscomb and Jacksonville State last weekend.  The Knights defeated the Bisons 5-2 and fell to JSU 4-1.  BU's win against Lipscomb was the program's first ASUN win since transitioning to Division I.  Despite the loss to Jacksonville State, senior Cole Groetsch won his third consecutive match at no. 1 singles.

Butler is 9-7 this season but has won five consecutive matches.  The Bulldogs are 2-0 in Big East action with wins against Georgetown and Villanova.  Earlier in the season, Butler bested Lipscomb 4-3 and defeated Indiana 4-2.  The Bulldogs, however, were beat 6-1 by Bellarmine's old GLVC foe UINDY in early February.

North Alabama was picked to finish eighth in the ASUN pre-season poll, and the Lions are 2-12 entering the weekend.  UNA lost both if its first conference matches 5-2 to Lipscomb and Jacksonville State respectively.  North Alabama's two wins came against Mississippi Valley State and Alabama A&M.  The Lions defeated Bellarmine 4-3 last season in Louisville.

The Bellarmine women's team came extremely close to capturing its first ASUN victory last weekend.  The Knights fell 4-3 to Lipscomb and dropped their match against Jacksonville State 4-2.  BU earned the doubles point in both of those matches, while freshman Ekaterina Tikhonko won both of her matchups at no. 1 singles.

Central Arkansas was selected to finish sixth out of 10 teams in the ASUN pre-season poll.  The Bears are having a strong season with an 11-6 record and 3-0 mark in conference play.  UCA has defeated Lipscomb 7-0, Jacksonville State 5-2, and North Alabama 7-0.  Central Arkansas has won six of its last seven matches, including four in a row.

The North Alabama women's tennis team was picked to finish ninth in the ASUN pre-season poll.  UNA is 2-14 with wins, like the men's team, against Mississippi Valley State and Alabama A&M.  The Lions have lost 5-2 to Jacksonville State, 4-3 to Lipscomb, and 7-0 to Central Arkansas in conference play thus far.

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