Aggie tennis: Men’s team finishing off bounce-back season
Coming off a 9-16 record last season, the USU men’s tennis team has bounced back this season.
The Aggies are 14-6 after starting 7-0 and have six more matches to play. They have already faced six top-100 Intercollegiate Tennis Association teams, and will play three more before the season is done.
USU even spent a few weeks ranked in the ITA top 100 themselves as No. 70, 71 and 73 before dropping out of the ranks after a loss March 8.
“When you set your sights to the top of the mountain, you achieve little victories along the way,” said second-year head coach Sean Clancy after the initial rankings came out on January 28. “This ranking is a small victory for the current team and the goals we have set, but a giant leap for this program. It validates the belief we have in our players and the confidence they have in each other. This is certainly not a stopping point for us, but a stepping stone towards the next goal.”
Last season, Utah State went 0-7 in Mountain West play during its first season as part of the conference and this season the team is 2-0. One win came at home against No. 70 San Diego State and the other on the road against Fresno State. The conference schedule is backend heavy for the Aggies as five of their last six matches are against MW opponents.
The Aggies are anchored by two seniors, Matt Sweet and Marcus Fritz. Jaime Barajas has stepped up to contribute as a freshman. Sophomores Karan Salwan, Dennis Baumgartner and Jack Swindells are three of five sophomores on the nine-man team. Swindells and Salwan are both transfer students and bring valuable experience to a young team.
Last week USU lost 4-3 at home to No. 59 San Francisco and this weekend the team will battle conference rival No. 72 UNLV in Las Vegas.
“It’s tough to lose 4-3, but I’m proud of the guys for getting there,” Shields said after the loss. “Those are the moments when you want the ball on your racquet. It’s something we’re going to have to work on, where the guys are excited about the ball being on their racquet and the match coming down to their court. That’s something that we’ve been working on as a team.”
The MW tournament will be held in Albuquerque, New Mexico, starting on April 22 and concluding on April 26.
—kalen.s.taylor@aggiemail.usu.edu