SU looks to avenge past Army loss, win 10th straight match
Photo/Mark Nash
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Could have. Should have. Would have.
As Christina Tan recalls, that was the feeling of the Syracuse tennis team after last year’s loss to Army. But this year, Tan feels, should be different. Instead of the 12-5 record the team had this week last year, SU currently boasts a 15-2 record. It hasn’t lost any of its last nine games, a streak that has lasted more than a month.
Last year, the team lost close matches. This year, thanks to the new depth of the roster, Tan does not expect the same to happen down the stretch. And it starts with that rematch against Army.
‘It came down to the last few matches, and this year with us being a lot deeper and everyone being a lot better, it’ll be close, but I think we’ll beat (Army),’ Tan said.
In just one year, the team has improved significantly thanks to that depth. There is no petering off in head coach Luke Jensen’s singles team. He said it is solid across the board. In addition to retaining four of last year’s starters, he added two of what he refers to as ‘big kahunas’ to the lineup.
‘I think the biggest thing is that you’ve got Eleanor Peters and CC Sardinha, who are world-ranked players,’ Jensen said. ‘These are people who have come off playing the (World Tennis Association) tour and who bring so much more depth and experience to the team we had last year.’
It is this balanced roster that will help the Orange in its match against Army (17-6) Wednesday, a match it lost 5-2 last year. Tan, the co-captain, said that not only have the new players added to the team, but the returning players have improved and become more aggressive. Tan, who played No. 2 singles last year, has been playing No. 5 singles this year. And Jensen believes it is a testament to the quality of play of returners and newcomers alike.
Particularly because so many of the opponents the team will face tomorrow have never competed against Syracuse before, Kalhorn expects Army will play a lot of defense. SU has an attacking style of play and with it, will look to take advantage of the Army inexperience.
‘I feel like they’ll try to play a lot of defense,’ junior Simone Kalhorn said, ‘which is good for us. That’s what we want.’
Kalhorn thinks Syracuse’s aggression has been particularly evident going into the match because the team lost a tight game last year. SU is looking to prove itself. Kalhorn said that the normally high-energy and high-volume team will be even more pumped up to face the Black Knights again.
And Jensen and his coaching staff are looking forward to the rematch as much as the players are.
Another advantage the Orange hopes to have thanks to its depth is the winning streak it is currently on. Syracuse was coming off a loss to Rutgers when it played Army last year.
This year, the consistency of play and wins has inspired increased sureness in the players. Although the team says it does not prepare any differently because of its recent success, the victories are apparent. It’s obvious in the attitude.
‘It’s good because we’re coming in with a lot of confidence,’ Jensen said. ‘This team doesn’t think they can lose. This team believes in everyone on the lineup.’
This confidence in the face of Army is not unfounded. SU has beaten all the opponents the two teams have in common. Army has lost to three of the seven. One of the Orange’s losses this year came against No. 8 Michigan. The other was to a Princeton (14-5) team that was in the polls earlier this year.
Rutgers — the only team the Orange lost to last year that is has played so far this year — was unable to repeat its victory over the Orange in 2010. SU swept them 7-0.
Jensen cannot guarantee a victory. But he has faith in his team. And with this winning streak it begs the question: Why shouldn’t he?
He is confident that all his players, regardless of seed, will have the advantage against Army.
With a roster led by his ‘big kahunas’ and supported by veterans, Jensen challenges the Black Knights to do their worst.
‘Look at the quality of player that we have,’ Jensen said. ‘It’s the depth. When you have Christina Tan, Simone Kalhorn and Alessondra Parra at four, five and six, good luck. Those are the bottom of our top six. What do you got? You’ve got three people that were there last year with three newbies. Good luck. Here we come.’