BLACKSBURG, Va. -- The Virginia Tech men’s tennis team returns to action this weekend following a 12-day layoff hosting the 23rd-ranked Rice Owls in a 5 p.m. match. The contest will be played at the Burrows-Burleson Tennis on the Virginia Tech campus.

Virginia Tech (4-1) is ranked No. 19 in this week’s ITA national poll which is the highest ranking in the program’s history. Tech went 2-0 two weekends ago defeating Boston College, 7-0, in the the ACC opener before picking up a 6-1 win at Brown.

Tech will be led by Yoann Re, a senior from Verdun, Quebec, Canada, who advanced to the 2009 NCAA Singles Championship tournament and was an All-ACC selection. Re is ranked 47th nationally. The Hokies will also have Patrick Daciek (So., Severna Park, Md.), playing in the top half of the lineup along with 2009 ACC Freshman of the Year Luka Somen (So., Karlovac, Croatia), who is ranked No. 81 nationally, and Sebastien Jacques (Jr., Magog, Quebec, Canada).

Rice (5-1) has had a solid opening to the dual match season with wins over Lamar (7-0), Prairie View (7-0), No. 24 Oklahoma State (4-1), No. 33 LSU (6-1) and No. 27 Miami (6-1). The Owls’ lone loss came against No. 46 Fresno State (0-4) in the second round of the ITA Kick-Off event.

Bruno Rosa, ranked No. 16 nationally and the Conference USA Player of the Week earlier this month, leads the Owls along with No. 116 Oscar Podlewski. Both team up as the 54th-ranked doubles pair as well. Tech and Rice last met on March 12, 2004, with the Owls winning, 4-1, in Houston, Texas.

Following this weekend’s action, Tech will face No. 1 Virginia on Tues., Feb. 23.