As the second seed in the 2014 Gulf South Conference Men’s Tennis Championship Tournament, the 25th-ranked University of West Alabama men’s tennis team will face seventh-seeded Christian Brothers in the opening round of the single elimination tournament Thursday at Lagoon park. First serve is at 9 a.m.

The Tigers come into the GSC Championship Tournament with a 21-1 record and riding a 17-match winning streak. UWA is ranked No. 5 in the NCAA Division II South Region. Christian Brothers is 0-6. The Tigers defeated the Bucs, 9-0, on March 6 in Memphis, Tenn.

Should the Tigers defeat CBU, they will play the winner of Thursday’s Valdosta State-North Alabama match on Friday at 9 a.m. at Lagoon Park. West Alabama defeated both the Blazers and the Lions in the regular season.

UWA’s only loss came at the hands of the top-ranked team in the nation, Valdosta State, 9-0, back on Feb. 14.

Two-time defending champion West Florida (22-0) holds both the national No. 1 ranking and a perfect 22-0 record. The Argos are also tops in the latest NCAA South Regional poll and they seek their GSC-record, 11th all-time men’s tennis crown. No. 3 seed Valdosta State (11-6) is No. 13 nationally, but the Blazers follow UWA in the regional poll at No. 6. No. 4 seed Delta State (8-6) and No. 5 seed Alabama Huntsville (7-5) round out the Tournament’s nationally ranked squads at No. 43 and No. 44, respectively. Completing the GSC field are No. 6 seed North Alabama (7-10) and Christian Brothers.

Including UWA senior Nestor Vargas at No. 18, the GSC Championships feature nine players in the ITA Singles Top 20: No. 1 West Florida’s Bruno Savi, No. 9 UWF’s Alex Peyrot, No. 12 UWF’s Tony Rajaobelina, No. 21 Alabama Huntsville’s Jose Soto, No. 35 Valdosta State’s Francesco Yim Kim and No. 38 UWF’s Kenny Brasil.

UWA’s Anton Ivanov and Adam Drysdale are No. 24 in the nation in doubles.