Photo by: David Lorish
The men’s tennis team set a school record last weekend when they defeated Cal Poly 4-3.
The Pioneers (18-3) entered the game with a nine game winning streak and with the win were able to attain their tenth consecutive win, a new school record.
Despite losing 6-1 to Pepperdine last Saturday, DU has seemed to find its stride going into post-season play.
Currently the team is in the midst of their most successful year ever, starting off the season with an 18-3 record, notching seven wins against ranked teams and in addition garnering its first ever national top 25 ranking.
“We always knew we had some talent coming into this year,” said head coach Danny Westerman. “The program has been getting better every year for about the last ten years even in the four years I have been here it feels like we have made some steps.”
Due to the national recognition, they are ranked No. 30, the team is determined to go out every single day and put in 100 percent effort to see how good they really can be.
“It feels really good to be doing so well. I am really surprised with how quickly we started working well together as a team,” said freshman Enej Bonin, “It is not hard to work hard as a team because everybody does it.”
Thus far, the team has received massive production from the freshman class. Bonin and freshmen Fabio Biasion, Jens Vorkefeld and Aaron Wicker have boosted the team with a combined 54-29 record in singles.
“The freshmen have come in with a very open mind which has been a big plus because they have been very coachable and have been learning all year, ” said Coach Westerman.
“The part that I have been impressed with is how tough they are. They are all very tough kids and at the end of the day it doesn’t come down to talent or strategy it comes down to who’s tougher and our freshmen have been very tough.”
With the loss to Pepperdine, the team concluded its regular season schedule and now will have two weeks to rest and practice before the start of the Sun Belt Conference tournament on April 22.
The Pioneers are favorites to win the tournament after they completed a 3-0 sweep over Western Kentucky, South Alabama and Troy in the Sun Belt Shootout two weeks ago.
“As a team as always we want to rock the conference and then win the conference tournament,” said junior Andrew Landwerlen. “That has been the goal since the beginning.”
If they do manage to win the tournament they will in turn achieve many of their other goals, including an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament.
Winning the SBC tournament will allow the Pioneers to maintain the momentum they have built up all season long.
However the team must not rest on its previous accomplishments, South Alabama and Western Kentucky can and will compete despite getting thumped by the Pioneers two weeks ago.
“It has been an exciting season because the guys have put in the time to make it possible,” said Westerman.
The time has paid off and the team will have a chance to end the season as its most successful in school history.
“The good part is, is that they are still getting better,” said Westerman.
With the team still continuing to improve and their knack for upsetting tough opponents, the team could be a Cinderella if they make it far enough in post-season play.
