By Tyler Spanyer | @KernelSpanyer

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The UK men’s tennis team is coming off a successful indoor campaign to begin the season and will look to stretch that success into the outdoor portion of its schedule.

UK head coach Cedric Kauffmann has guided the Cats (10-2) to the start of the outdoor season with a season-high No. 6 ranking.

The Cats will head to Birmingham, Ala., on Sunday to face off with Jacksonville State and host Samford.

Junior Tom Jomby has held the starring role for the Cats this season. Jomby, who is ranked No. 29 in singles, is 9-1 on the season from the No. 2 spot.

Freshman Kevin Lai has been an early season performer also.

Lai was named this past week’s SEC Freshman of the Week after posting a 3-0 record in singles and a 2-1 record with Jomby in doubles.

Lai saw his first singles action of the season last week as he posted wins against opponents from Eastern Kentucky, No. 10 Mississippi State and No. 6 Georgia.

Samford will be playing its third match in four days when facing the Cats.

The Bulldogs (3-2) earned the program’s first win over a top-50 opponent against Alabama earlier in the season.

Jacksonville State (2-6) boasts two wins on the season, against Alabama A&M and Alabama State.

Jacksonville State lost to Samford, 4-0, in a matchup earlier this season.

UK is slated to take on Samford at 10 a.m. Sunday, followed by the match against Jacksonville State at 2 p.m.