Tonight, the CG boys tennis team takes to the court against perhaps their biggest challenge of the season yet, the Brebeuf Jesuit Braves. While the Braves are currently ranked No. 2 and the Trojans are just cracking the list at No. 9, the prospect of an upset would bring a wave of confidence to the young Trojan team.
“Winning this match would give us a huge amount of confidence going into the postseason at the end of September,” junior No. 1 singles player Tyler Lane said. “We could play them in the state finals if we both make it to that point.”
No. 3 singles player Max Williams, the only senior member of the varsity squad, agrees with Lane’s sentiments. However, he isn’t as concerned with the daunting number by the Braves’ name.
“It would definitely help our confidence for sure,” Williams said. “Upsetting a high-ranked team is always a great feeling and is always a fun time; however, ranking doesn’t mean too much to us as we know our own worth and we don’t stress about rankings.
Pulling off the big win won’t come without its obstacles. The Brebeuf Jesuit team is well-rounded in every position on the court. In singles action, Lane, No. 2 singles junior Daksh Patel and Williams will have to be on top of their game to overcome the finesse of their Brave opponents.
“Brebeuf has a really strong team this year and always comes out with a lot of energy,” Lane said. “So, we will have to come out with even more energy and beat them in that aspect of the game right at the start, which will allow us to loosen up and play well.”
However, on the singles side of the net, Williams is confident in the preparations he and his teammates have gotten from their coaching staff. He agrees with the importance of energy in the sway of a tennis contest.
“We came off a solid week last week and have just been practicing and keeping our confidence up looking toward the week,” Williams said. “Having good energy is the best way to keep all of us up, no matter the match, and it can cause momentum shifts throughout the match.”
As for William’s opponent particularly, attacking the net and looking for points when he can find them will be vital for his personal victory.
“Brebeuf is always hard to play as they always have solid players at every spot, and especially this time, we are playing in their territory,” Williams said. “My match will be a challenge as my opponent is a very good base-liner who is consistent and doesn’t miss often.”
On the doubles end of the match, junior Russell Dean has an idea of what will be the deciding factor of his and partner, junior Carson Bush’s, match.
“For my specific match, Carson and I staying consistent will be important to the outcome,” Dean said.
For the both doubles and singles competition, the preparation they will need to take on Brebeuf Jesuit comes from studying previous matches.
“The team has prepared for the match by watching film from our recent matches and what we might need to do better at, along with help that concerns the strong mental game we will need,” Dean said.
Tennis is a sport of the mind just as much as the body. For Lane, despite Brebeuf Jesuit’s high ranking and foreboding lineup, the key to victory and the upset lies within his own head.
“The key to my success, overall and in my matches, is me sticking to my rituals during and before a match and staying in a good mindset during a match,” Lane said.
