The FAMU Rattlers men's tennis team is picking up steam after a shaky start to the 2012 season. Coach Carl Goodman's team is starting to gel and perform as expected against out-of-conference competition. After a tough loss to the No.33 ranked University of Miami Hurricanes by a mere point, the Rattlers have rattles off three consecutive wins against Florida Gulf Coast University (4-3), SMU (4-3) and Tulane (5-2).

Against Florida Gulf Coast University, the Rattlers started off the tournament gathering the doubles point. The teams dominated the doubles segment winning 8-2,8-2 before conceding the final match after gathering the overall doubles point.

In singles, Salif Kante, playing in the No.1 position disposed of FGCU No.1 Matt Rock, 6-4,6-0. All-MEAC player Levan Clark defeated No.2 position player Tianyu Bao 6-3,6-2. Tow-time All MEAC player Takura Happy went down in the No.3 position to FGCU's Dean Tsamas 6-0,7-5. At that point the match seemed to be slipping away from the Rattlers as Chidi Gabriel and Fabric Myrtil went down 6-4,6-4 and 6-3,6-2 respectively. Temuera Asafu-Adjaye would seal the deal with a 6-1,6-1 defeat of Michael Beiler in the No.6 position, giving the Rattlers a 4-3 win.

In possibly their toughest match of the three-game streak, was their triumph over the SMU Mustangs. The Rattlers began in the hole, losing the doubles point. Levan Clark and Salif Kante defeated Joe Hattrup and Tobias Flood 8-4 to win the only match for the Rattlers in the doubles segment.

The Rattlers would rack up four points in singles action. Kante defeated Gaston Cuadranti 6-4,6-4. Clark took an extra set to defeat Mischa Nowicki 6-4, 4-6, 6-1. Myrtil and Happy would go down 6-0, 6-0 and 6-3, 6-4 respectively. Gabriel would get the Rattlers back on the board in the No.5 position, with a 6-7(3), 6-4, 7-6(1) defeat of Robert Sajovich. Asafu-Adjaye would again bring in a victory at the No.6 position with a 7-6(5), 6-3 win over Hattrup.

In the third consecutive victory for the Rattlers, the Rattlers dominated the Tulane University Green Wave. Kante and Clark took the first set of the doubles point with an 8-5 win over Idan Mark and Joe Young. The Rattlers would drop the second match of doubles 8-2 to Shaye Wali and Rodrigo Rappaccioli. Happy and Asafu-Adjaye would seal the doubles point with an 8-3 win over Coby Kramer-Golinkoff and Cedric Rutsaert.

In the singles competition, the Rattlers were dominant. Salif Kante disposed of nationally ranked #76 in the Idan Mark 6-2,6-2. No.2 Levan Clark disposed of Shaye Wali 7-6,6-3. Takura Happy defeated Joe Young 6-2,6-3. Chidi Gabriel defeated Rodrigo Rappaccioli 6-3,6-4. Fabrice Myrtil's match was unfinished as the Rattlers had claimed the victory.

Stats from the Jacksonville State match on Feb. 3 were not available at the time of this story.