The men’s and women’s tennis teams have each gotten off to hot starts this season – and they will look to continue their winning ways over Spring Break. It won’t be easy, though, as both squads will face some of their stiffest competition all year.
Look no further than the women’s first matchup of the break – a date with Point Loma Nazarene (6-3), ranked No. 8 in the NAIA division. Because of its West Coast location and small conference, Red coach Laura Glitz is uncertain about Cornell’s chances against the team.
“This will be a good test to see where we are,” Glitz said. “I’m not sure how good [Point Loma] is, but because of their ranking I’m expecting a tough match.”
Things don’t get any easier for the Red, as it next faces off with Boise State (10-3). The Broncos are currently ranked No. 73 in the polls. They have moved up the ranks quickly this season, upsetting No. 52 Boston College earlier in the year.
The women’s team wraps up its Spring Break slate with No. 75 Loyola Marymount (5-7).
The Lions hail from the West Coast Conference (WCC), a competitive league featuring numerous top-100 teams.
Glitz is unsure of how the Red stacks up against these non-conference, cross-country teams, but is nonetheless confident.
“We’re playing better and better with each match, and we’re becoming a more cohesive team,” she said.
The men’s team, meanwhile, will have some tests of its own next week. The Red travels to Texas for three road matches as its final preparation for a challenging Ivy League season.
The team has been on a run lately, cruising through four straight matches without surrendering more than two points. The winning streak has given the team a 7-3 overall record and its highest ranking of the season at No. 67.
The Red kicks off the road trip with a Monday meeting pitting it against No. 75 UT-Arlington (4-2). In addition, UT-Arlington features No. 113 Sandy Farguharson. Cornell senior captain Brett Mckeon, who plays No. 1 singles, will have the task of defeating Farguharson.
Next up, the Red will face Tyler (1-2), a small Texas junior college. Although Tyler has been competitive this year, it has faced little Division I-A competition such as Cornell.
Cornell ends with its toughest match of the trip – and possibly the year so far – in Dallas against No. 55 Saint Mary’s (10-1). The Mustangs defeated top-50 Virginia Tech earlier this season and have another daunting No. 1 singles player, No. 44 Peter Oredsson. They also have young talent, with sophomore Alex Skrypko already ranked No. 114. The Mustangs have already dispatched one Ivy League foe, handing Columbia its first loss of the season.
Archived article by Danial Asmat
Sun Contributor