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Men’s tennis splits weekend duals
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The No. 40 Boise State men’s tennis (9-9) entered this weekend at home with high hopes of building on its recent success. With a pair of highly anticipated duals against No. 52 San Diego State and No. 43 Pepperdine at home, the Broncos were optimistic about their chances.
On Saturday BSU was able to defeat SDSU (4-4) by a score of 5-1 at the Boas Tennis Center. The teams were hoping to play the first outdoors dual of the spring in Boise, but were forced to move the match indoors from the Appleton Tennis Center due to early rain.
“This match could have easily went 3-all,” BSU Head Coach Greg Patton said.
The respect among the teams was mutual.
“We knew it was going to be a dogfight today and it was very much a dogfight,” SDSU Head Coach Gene Carswell said.
The play went forward without a hitch for the Broncos, who only dropped one match with No. 55 Clancy Shields falling to Bartosz Galos of SDSU (6-4, 6-2). Shields has struggled this season due to injuries, even though he has been able to keep in and move up the Intercollegiate Tennis Association’s ranks.
“I don’t think that I have ever had him healthy,” Patton said. “He has struggled this season with illness and injury, keeping him from playing at pinnacle performance.”
The Broncos used the momentum from Saturday and entered the Sunday’s matches with No. 43 Pepperdine Waves with the utmost respect. Pepperdine improved its losing record (4-5) in an attempt to reclaim the NCAA title (2005-06 champions). According to Patton, they are one of the best No. 43 ranked teams that he has played.
The line-up for Sunday was loaded with the No. 41 ranked doubles team of Clancy and Luke Shields looking to add points with in a tug-o-war against the Waves’ No. 26 Omar Altmann and Andre Begemann.
The Shields’ pulled off the upset, winning the match 8-6. BSU managed to take the doubles points when Piotr Dilaj/Steve Roberson (BSU) defeated Johannes de Villiers/Alejandro Moreno (PEPP) 9-8.
“They carry the tradition of the Boise State dynasty,” Coach Carswell said.
In the eyes of Carswell, the Shields brothers are a force to be reckoned with.
BSU dropped the singles points 2-4. Pepperdine won two key matches, both against Luke and Clancy. Clancy fought through illness again but lost for the second time this weekend.
Luke, who is ranked No. 59, failed to pull off the upset against No. 19 Andre Begemann in singles. Begemann seemed to have answer for everything the Shields threw at him.
“It’s like you’re river rafting and there’s no smooth water for us . everything is a class five,” Coach Patton said.
Regardless, the Broncos still has hopes of proving themselves in the NCAA tournament but they are on the verge of the bubble that gets them their.
“Unless you are in the top forty teams it gets hard to bust the bubble,” Patton said.
KIRK BELL
Sports Writer