For a few hours last Tuesday, the humble Vine Street tennis courts became “domination station” as the Wesleyan Men’s Tennis team destroyed NESCAC rival Connecticut College, 7-0. The Cardinals were in control the entire afternoon, preventing the Camels from capturing a single set on the day. The win improves the Cardinals to 4-3 on the season and extends the team’s winning streak to three games.
“Conn. is notoriously a weak team in the NESCAC,” Jack Rooney ’07 admitted. “But I don’t think I expected us to beat them this badly. This win just goes to show you that as a team, we’re playing with a lot of confidence and we’ve tightened up our games a lot since the beginning of the season.”
On Friday Wesleyan faces off with archrival Williams in Williamstown, Mass. in an eagerly anticipated match. The showdown with the Ephs, however pressing on the team’s mind, was certainly a not a factor as the Cardinals drubbed Connecticut College on Tuesday.
“Any NESCAC win is a big win, but Conn. is definitely having an off year,” said Matt Cron ’05. “I was proud that our team didn’t look past this match to the showdown with Williams and we were able to put the hurt on Conn.”
“We played a terrific match,” added ace Max Kates ’06. “While Conn. College was not that good, they could easily have done better had we let them. We really wanted to come out with a decisive win before Williams.”
At top seed, Kates started the afternoon off the right way for the Cardinals, with a convincing 6-0, 6-0 win over the Camels top player.
“I was hitting the ball quite well: very hard and consistent and my serve was good,” Kates said.
It was not all peaches and cream, for Kates, who said that it was “bittersweet” to see his opponent so upset.
“It’s actually the first time I have ever ‘double-blanked’ someone in college,” he said. “And to be honest, it’s not that great of a feeling because your opponent is so demoralized.”
Second seed Cron found similar success in his match, winning 6-0, 6-4. Cron, usually the team’s third player, stepped up to the two seed and played great tennis.
“My opponent beat me last time we played so I was happy that I destroyed him this time around,” Cron said.
The success was echoed down the singles line-up, as the shut out was secured by great play from Evan Rhodes ’05, Mike Roguly ’05, Rooney and Mike Frank ’08.
“Our singles lineup is clicking on all cylinders,” Cron said.
In doubles, the Cardinals were just as dominating. Tallen Todorovich ’07 and Rhodes took the top seeded game 8-5, in a match that was not as close as the score would suggest. In the second doubles match, Cron and Roguly closed out the Camels 8-0.
Kates and Rooney ran through their Connecticut College foes 8-0, knocking the Camels on their humps right from the start. To Kates, it was a simple matter of speed.
“A team that can’t handle our pace is going to crumble,” he said. “They couldn’t handle our speed.”
Rooney said he hopes his pair’s quality play will continue in the matches to come.
“Max and I have been playing very well together the last couple of weeks, and even though we didn’t have a very challenging match, we were able to cruise without any problems,” he said. “Max and I are really putting together some solid strategy in our doubles matches which will be important for upcoming sets against stronger teams like Williams.”
On Friday Wesleyan travels to Williams for a clash of Little Three foes. While Williams is good, having beaten the Cardinals 7-0 last spring, Wesleyan remains confident on the strength of their recent play.
“We’re just going to have to go out there thinking that this team is really not that much different than ours,” Rooney said. “Williams is good, but they’re no D-1 team, and as long as we stay confident, I’m sure we can do some damage.”