The No. 13 Tennessee tennis squad began its 2012 campaign with a trio of matches inside Goodfriend Tennis Center this past weekend. The Vols recorded two victories and one defeat.
    
UT’s wins came against Eastern Kentucky and No. 15 Georgia Tech, while the loss came at the hands of in-state rival Memphis.
    
After losing five seniors, four of whom were All-Americans from a 2011 team that reached the national semifinals, UT boasts a roster consisting of six freshmen.
    
“We can’t lament over what could have been,” coach Sam Winterbotham said. “We have to focus on who is here, and they have to now take their opportunity to shine.”
   
 The weekend began in a disappointing fashion as the Vols fell to Memphis on Friday afternoon by a score of 4-3.
    
The loss signified the first time UT has suffered defeat on its home court since 2009.
    
Friday night, the Vols treated their home fans to a more familiar experience by defeating Eastern Kentucky, 6-1.
    
“Friday was Friday, and you either learn from the loss or you don’t,” Winterbotham said of his team’s loss to the Tigers. “We’re a program that is going to learn from our experiences and we’re going to get better because of our experiences.”
   
 UT rested on Saturday in preparation for Sunday’s contest against the No. 13 Yellow Jackets.
    
Georgia Tech entered the match boasting the No. 2 doubles tandem in the country, along with the No. 9 singles player.
   
 The Volunteers laid the groundwork early against the Yellow Jackets by taking two of three doubles matches and earning the first point of the match.
   
 Freshman Knoxville native and Webb School graduate Brandon Fickey was paired with fellow freshman Edward Jones, a native of Wales.
    
The duo defeated Georgia Tech’s Vikram Hundal and Juan Melian, 8-2.
    
“Doubles played exceptionally today on all courts,” Fickey said. “Doubles sets the tone for the match. If you get that point, most of the time singles will fall right behind it. The doubles point is probably one of the biggest parts of college tennis.”
   
 Fickey then changed his focus to singles.
    
The freshman provided the match-clinching fourth point for the Vols with his 6-4, 7-6 singles victory over Juan Melian.
   
 “I’m playing for the team,” Fickey said. “And you’ve got to do what you’ve got to do to win. I wanted the ball. I wanted to win. And I wouldn’t rather have the ball in anyone else’s hands when it comes to that.”
    
With the win, Fickey finished the weekend with an overall record of 5-1 across both singles and doubles play.
    
Freshmen Edward Jones and Hunter Reese and sophomore Jarryd Chaplin also contributed singles victories for the Vols on Sunday.
    
“We just finished the third (team) match for a bunch of freshmen,” Winterbotham said. “They’re still learning, but if they can put in that kind of effort, and they can be that tough, then we’ve got a chance.”
    
The Volunteers will return to action on Sunday when they host Michigan State.