In a compact fall season, the Oswego State men’s tennis team has limited opportunity to show its talent and gain experience on the court against other opponents. Through just one game, the Lakers have already proven that they are capable of showing resiliency.
The fall season for men’s tennis is meant to provide a test for the players, keep the team sharp and allow the coaching staff to determine the ideal lineup when regular season play begins in the spring. “This is a non-traditional season for them,” head coach Shane Evans said. “Getting a few wins under our belt helps a lot with our mentality going into the spring knowing we have the confidence that will keep us in matches.”
Though the fall season will be only two matches, their importance cannot be overstated because of the impact it will have on the lineup in the spring. “It helps a lot figuring out who we are going forward,” Evans said.
Seeing specific players in certain positions and situations they will have an effect on how the team approaches their matches when the regular season starts. So now is the time for the players to prove their worth to the team. In their first match of 2017-18, Oswego State went on the road to take on Alfred University. En route to a 5-4 win, the Lakers took wins in four of the six single spots and in one of the three doubles matches.
The only player who had a hand in both a singles and doubles victory was senior Jimmy Terzian. The Buffalo native won by a convincing score of 6-0, 6-4 against Alfred University’s Ryan Brown in the fourth singles position and followed up with a win with partner Dillon McDonald at the third doubles spot. Terzian was named Laker athlete of the week for his performance against Alfred University.
Terzian’s success was not hard to predict, according to his doubles partner. “[Terzian] always stays pretty calm,” McDonald said. “He always stays consistent. He hits powerful shots and lets his opponents make the mistakes.” “In doubles, we got off to a pretty rocky start,” McDonald said. “We started off down 3-0 and had to fight our way back up.” McDonald fell in singles competition by a score of 7-5, 7-6, but his confidence did not waver in his ability or role on the team. “No matter where I’m playing in the lineup, obviously I put my best foot forward,” McDonald said.
Close decisions for the Lakers can help provide experience for all players, forcing them into tough scenarios in order to leave the match with a win. Both McDonald and Evans stressed the importance of making the most of these fall matches to gain experience for the spring. “It was my first match since the spring, so I was a little nervous,” McDonald said. “But we stayed headstrong and pulled through.” For the players, these two matches can make or break their spot in the lineup for the spring.
Due to scheduling conflicts, certain rostered players cannot participate in the fall, so there will only be increased competition by the time the rest of the players return to the team for next semester. “Right now, we just have seven or eight guys consistently playing,” Evans said.
“There might be some new additions for us to tinker with, so for right now, we’re just trying to get a good feel of what we have.” When those players return, the team will have eight regular season matches in the spring with the hope of making to postseason play as they did two seasons ago.
“We’re just going to take the Alfred win and the Daemen match and take it with us for the spring,” Evans said. The team will travel to Daemen College on Oct. 1 to take on the Wildcats and cap off their fall season.
Photo: Haofeng Deng | The Oswegonian
