WEST LIBERTY, W.Va. – The West Liberty University men's tennis team returns to action this weekend with a pair of road matches, beginning with a non-conference matchup at Salem on Saturday before continuing Mountain East Conference play Sunday at West Virginia Wesleyan.

First serve for both matches is scheduled for noon.

West Liberty enters the weekend looking to snap a seven-match skid and build momentum down the stretch of the spring season. The Hilltoppers are 3-7 overall and 0-4 in MEC play, with several competitive individual performances despite recent team results.

In their most recent outing, the Hilltoppers fell 7-0 to Frostburg State. The match featured several tightly contested singles battles, including a three-set effort from Barney Cowan at No. 5 and a pair of competitive showings from Pablo Zubieta and Chris Burns.

Saturday's matchup with Salem will provide West Liberty an opportunity to regroup in non-conference play.

The recent history between the two programs has been competitive, with the teams splitting their last four meetings dating back to 2021. West Liberty earned wins in 2022 (5-2) and 2022 (4-0), while Salem claimed a narrow 4-3 decision in the most recent meeting in April of 2023.

With several close results in the series, Saturday's contest is expected to be another tightly contested matchup.

West Liberty will then turn its focus back to conference play Sunday against West Virginia Wesleyan in Buckhannon.

Wesleyan enters the weekend at 10-5 overall and 1-1 in MEC play, currently sitting in the middle of the conference standings.

Historically, Wesleyan has had the upper hand in the series, including a 7-0 win over the Hilltoppers last season and victories in each of the last three meetings. West Liberty's last win over Wesleyan came during the 2020-21 season in a dominant 7-0 sweep.


West Liberty University blends a small-town environment with a comprehensive college experience, fostering students' aspirations through hands-on learning, personalized support, and unique academic programs at both undergraduate and graduate levels. Learn more at westliberty.edu.