By Kyle Jorrey
Sports Editor
In the world of college tennis, matches can be decided on a single service, a single volley, a single error. All the day’s competition comes down to one moment — a set point won or lost makes the difference between high-fives and cheers, or headshakes and somber silence.
Don’t believe it? Just ask the Pepperdine men’s tennis team.
The Waves are in the midst of a four-game slide and a single point has decided the last three of those matches, all by the same score — 4-3. First, it was University of San Diego Toreroes on Feb. 19, then the Texas A&M Aggies March 3, and finally versus the Tulane Green Wave last Friday.
In its two most current matches, Pepperdine doubles dominated play, including an impressive three-match sweep over Tulane, only to see the singles competitors falter and let the victories slip away.
Losing three consecutive near misses has left both coaches and players in search of answers.
“We play great in doubles, get ahead in all the singles matches, and then we find ways to lose,” Head Coach Adam Steinberg said. “It’s strange what has happened; but I think youth has a lot to do with it.”
Steinberg related the source behind his squad’s problems to basketball, saying the team is playing hard through three quarters but not four.
“We haven’t played a complete match mentally,” the head coach said. “In doubles we’ve really clicked — I couldn’t be happier. We just need to get through it in singles.”
During the past two losses, junior captains Diego Acuna and Calle Hansen have had mixed results. Though the combination won both its doubles matches, pushing its season record to 11-3, the two split their individual matches, Acuna dropping his match versus Texas A&M, and Hansen against Tulane.
“Some of our guys are just playing too tentative,” Acuna said. “We’re just not trusting ourselves in crunch time, and we’re not trusting our abilities enough.
“We need to play to win, some of the guys are just playing to play,” he continued. “We’re playing to put on a match and not to lose, we’ve got to go out there and get the match.”
Two players who have been stepping up during the slump are freshman Kevin Borzenski and sophomore Alexis Rafidison at No. 3 doubles, once thought to be the squad’s weakest link. After a tough early season start, the tandem put together a solid match against Tulane, winning 8-6.
“It feels good to be winning for sure,” Borzenski said. “We had some difficulties in the beginning, switching partners back and forth, having some communication troubles … I’m sure it’s nice for No. 1 and No. 2 doubles to know that No. 3 can get the win. It makes them more comfortable.”
As far as the production of the Waves’ younger players, Borzenski pointed out that some players have yet to truly find their grooves.
“I think coming in as freshmen, we knew our team was unbelievable,” Borzenski said. “But Calle (Hansen) and Diego (Acuna) are the only ones coming back, a lot of us are still reinventing ourselves.”
After their most recent defeat, the team got together in the locker room and had a serious talk about what needed to be done to get the team playing to potential. As a group, they decided improvement had to start physically–if they were going to close out matches, they had to have the endurance to do so.
“We thought that we needed to practice a little harder, got stronger physically,” Hansen said. “We need to know that you can’t lose the match just because you lost the first set; we can’t quit too early. I think that’s a big reason why we’ve been losing.”
Tomorrow the Waves travel to USC to take on the rival Trojans and former coach Peter Smith. Earlier this year in an emotionally charged match, the Waves knocked of the defending champs in Malibu, 5-2.
Despite not playing their best tennis as of late, Steinberg said the important match comes at just the right time for his team.
” I’m sure they’ll be ready for us, they’ll be going out for revenge,” Steinberg said. “I’ve been wanting us to play on the road, and I think this is a great match for college tennis … if you can’t get up for this match you shouldn’t be playing.”
The head coach said he’s not concerned about his team’s desire.
“I’ve never had a team that worked harder,” Steinberg said. “I think we can play with anyone in the country, I think we’re right there with them. It’s not a matter of talent … it’s just mentally we’re not there yet, but we’re going to get through it.”
Facing a match that could send the team in totally opposite directions, Acuna said the team will be prepared come Friday to finish out a USC sweep.
“It’s going to be a challenge not going into the match with a good set of wins, but we know we can beat them … I think we are more ready this time, we’ve learned a lot form the losses, and we know what we have to do to win.”
March 13, 2003