The men?s tennis team spent its spring break playing some of the best Div. III teams in the nation. But the Yellowjackets didn?t sacrifice fun the sun either, as they enjoyed the sun of Calif. during the matches.
The ten-day trip began with a match against the University of Redlands, a tennis powerhouse that is ranked No. 6 in the nation.
The Div. III. Redlands proved to be too strong for UR, beating the Yellowjackets 7-0.
Frustrations ran high after the contest, and a shouting match ensued.
This match served to light a fire under the Yellowjackets that would push them to success later in the week.
The next challenge came with Chapman University. This time UR came out on top, winning by a decisive score of four matches to three for the Yellowjackets.
An upset to Pomona Pitzer College, which is No. 21 in the national rankings for Div. III, provided the only other low moment of the trip. The Sagehens upset UR four matches to three. By playing well against Pomona it proved to the Yellowjackets that they were capable of being ranked as well.
Later in the week, the Yellowjackets continued their winning rhythm and routed both University of California-Lutheran and Occidental College, 7-0.
?The trip exceeded our expectations. The week showed us that we deserved to be ranked in the top 25, and we can play with almost anybody,? freshman Dan Williford said.
Williford and fellow freshman Colin Ryan, juniors Anton Orlin, Aaron Arfman and Brad Krauze all won three times overall while losing only twice.
Sophomore Dan Schoenher had the best overall team record ? winning four and losing once. In addition junior Ko Kiuchi, freshman Nithin Raiker, senior Josh White and sophomore Alec Shtromandel had important contributions to the team?s success.
The men?s tennis team will face its first at-home challenge against Nazareth College March 19. The matches will be played at the Goergen Athletic Center at 4 p.m.