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Men’s tennis heads to NCAA championships
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The Boise State men’s tennis team will head to Los Angeles for the first and second rounds of the NCAA Tennis Championships this weekend, May 10-11. This is BSU’s fourth consecutive trip to the championships, and seemingly every time the Broncos have come away with similar results.
“The last few years we have won our first match against a really good team, and then we lose a close one in the second round,” Head Coach Greg Patton said. “We’re going to change that.”
Patton has put the program on the rise ever since he began coaching at BSU. His accomplishments are nothing short of impressive and his fourth consecutive trip into NCAA post-season play is among the top of his achievements.
“It’s like getting that brand new bicycle for Christmas when I was 13-years-old,” Patton said.
Patton and his squad is also very determined to make it deeper into the tournament than the previous years.
“We want to reach the sweet 16,” Patton said. “It’s not about being a good team . it’s about making a statement nationally.”
This will be the team’s second visit to Los Angeles this year, with the first being a match against No. 6 USC. BSU lost that match 2-5 back on Feb. 9.
“We have to go through Cal before we get to USC, but I’d like to get another shot at USC, we play them pretty tough,” Patton said.
Patton also said his team isn’t overlooking Cal in any way.
“They’re good at the top and really deep at the bottom,” Patton said.
The No. 36 Broncos will face No. 31 Cal at 9 a.m. Saturday, May 10. Following later, at 12 p.m., will be No. 1-seeded USC facing No. 4-seeded Southern University.
The winners of semifinal one and semifinal two will face off May 11 at 12 p.m. with the possible rematch of BSU and USC.
The Broncos will be led by Luke and Clancy Shields. The two brothers have also qualified for the NCAA Championships. Clancy Shields has earned a singles bid, while Luke will join his brother in the doubles draw.
“They’re ninja warriors,” Patton said. “It’s like the movie ‘300.’ They’re right in the front of the fight.”
This has been a different season for the Broncos in many ways, but special none-the-less.
“We had a lot of adversity this year,” Luke said. “We’ve battled through all of the bad stuff, injuries and the elements, and we’ve been pretty successful.”
This tournament means a lot to this team, especially to the players who have played in years past. For the Shields brothers, it is going to be a special experience to play together.
“I’m most excited to play doubles with my brother, and hopefully go deep into the tournament,” Clancy said.
Temperatures in Los Angeles are forecasted to be in the low 70s along with sunny skies, so the setting is perfect for the Broncos to finally break through and overcome all of the barriers that have stood in their way this season.
BRAD WEIGLE
Sports Writer
