“Seedings are what others think of you and results are what youthink of yourself.”
That was San Diego State men’s tennis mantra and rallying cry atthis past week’s Blue Gray National Collegiate Classic.
Althoughthe Aztecs quietly came in unseeded in the prestigious tournamentfeaturing many of the nation’s top teams, they made plenty of noiseby winning two matches and almost making the finals.
“I’ve known that we are a very talented team and they (theplayers) are just starting to find out,” head coach John Nelson saidof his squad.
While they came in as an unseeded team, SDSU quickly showed why itbelonged.
SDSU opened the tournament against a highly regarded No. 25Virginia Commonwealth team that owns victories against Duke and SMU.
The Aztecs collected the doubles point after strong play by eachof the duos. Valentino Pest and Felix Hardt won their match whileTravis Hasson and Gabe Coren also collected a win to seal the pointfor SDSU.
Singles play proved to be much tougher for the Aztecs as they hadto grind out some three-set matches on their way to victory.
Oliver Maiberger and Hardt claimed three set victories in No. 1and No. 2 singles while Ryan Redondo took care of business instraight sets to close out the match 4-3 for SDSU.
No. 31 South Alabama was up next, and the Aztecs quickly madeshort work of them. After winning the doubles point, they dominatedsingles play en route to a 4-0 victory.
“South Alabama’s coach told me that we were the best team thatthey had faced all year,” assistant coach Gene Carswell said. “Theywere surprised we were not even seeded.”
Now one win away from the finals, SDSU faced No. 8 Illinois. Muchlike their basketball counterparts, the Aztecs found themselves asunderdogs.
The Aztecs once again started the match by winning the doublespoint, but did not win enough matches in singles play on their way toa 4-2 defeat.
“I’m very pleased with how we played in this tournament,” saidSDSU head coach John Nelson following the match. “We have improved alot since the start of the season and we are getting closer to thenation’s top teams. To reach the semis in this tournament is a strongshowing.”
Winning Combinations
One source of the team’s strength the last few matches has beentheir doubles play.
After a little juggling of the doubles lineup following theNational Indoors, the Aztecs have won the doubles point in six of thepast seven matches, including five straight.
“Everyone is getting better and our doubles teams are playingextremely well,” Nelson said.
