Assistant coach Pedro Alonso commented on the weekend matches, saying, “The team is fighting really well and there is a lot of intensity, especially the freshmen. Their first season is strong and all have really tight matches. It’s a good way to start the season.”
On day one, there were seven flights for the singles matches and four flights for the doubles matches. Each flight had an equal number of players from Fordham, NYU and Saint Francis. Fordham won a total of 10 matches on the first day and also lost 10 matches, a fitting way for the young team to start its season. “Half of the team are freshmen and there is a lot of energy,” said freshman Allen Thornes. “All the guys are fighting really hard and staying in the matches.”
The second day also featured seven singles flights and four doubles flights, but there were more matches in each flight. Fordham won 16 matches and lost 23. In total, Fordham won 26 matches and lost 33 on the weekend.
Assistant coach Frank Russo spoke of the team’s goals and outcomes for the first tournament, saying, “We are starting this year with five freshmen. Getting them as much experience as possible was the goal for the weekend. We wanted to get them into match situations, and I think we’ve done that. We are happy with the progress so far.”
Of course, prior to this weekend, the Rams had been practicing hard for their new season. In the first few weeks of classes, they have had intense practices to reach this point. One aspect that the Fordham team excels at is strategy, particularly in the doubles games. There is no doubt that each teammate has a good bond with his partner, enabling the pair to work together and communicate with each other on the court. This makes some points seem effortless as they swiftly move around the court. Volleying at the net is another aspect of the game where the team flourishes. It is through net points, angles and slams that the Rams win many of their points. They go for every ball on the court and always play to their best ability, an admirable quality in every team member.
“We are becoming really close as a team and everyone motivates each other,” said freshman Steven Duka. “It was a tough first two weeks of practice, but it’s really paying off now. We got some wins under our belt and are looking forward to a good season.”
The men’s tennis team will return to action next Wednesday, when the Rams will travel across the Bronx to square off with Ramapo College. The Roadrunners will begin their season this weekend at Bard College. The action is set to get underway at 12:30 p.m.
