Men's tennis wins big

By Dan Elledge     1/31/13 6:00pm

After a rough start to the year with heartbreaking losses to Texas Tech University and Mississippi State University, the Owls were back on the court last Sunday at Jake Hess Stadium looking to even out their win-loss streak. Playing Lamar University and the University of Texas, Pan American, did the job, and the Owls thrashed both teams 7-0. With the victories, Rice is back at .500 with a 2-2 record. More notably, these were the first two victories for Head Coach Efe Ustundag. Ustundag said he did not think about the first win until he talked to reporters after the fact.

"After the matches, I did not think about it as my first win," Ustundag said. "I was more excited about how we played as a team and how quickly we took care of Lamar and Texas Pan-American, professionally."

The Owls will be flying away from the nest this weekend as they have a game against the University of Miami in Coral Gables, Fla. Last season, Rice emerged victorious with a convincing 7-0 win against the Hurricanes at the Galleria Tennis Athletic Club. 

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Ustundag knows about the Owls' previous history with the Canes, but said that they should not be overlooked. However, Ustundag said he thinks with another good week of practice, Rice will be able to take care of business.

"Miami is pretty much the same team, but there is a lot of shifting amongst the lineups," Ustundag said. "We have seen some good opponents already, and we saw how we need to play and prepare both on and off the court. If we can practice well this week, then I would be confident."

With this being the Owls' first road match of the season, Ustundag expressed little concern that the hostile environment would be an issue. He said he expects the team to respond in the right way and that he feels the first road trip will be enjoyable.

"I have not thought about it that much, playing on the road," Ustundag said. "Usually, in a team setting it is much more fun, travelling and getting meals together."

Senior Jonathan Chang said the team just has to worry about its play and block everything else out. Chang said that in his mind, Rice's performance should be the same whether it plays on the road or at Jake Hess Stadium.

"I think we just have to focus on tennis," Chang said. "Don't worry about what the Miami fans are going to do; don't worry about how they are going to respond. We have to stay focused on our team and pump our team up as we get ready."

One of the main reasons Chang and Ustundag are confident about going into Miami is the rise of  freshmen Tommy Bennett, Gustavo Gonzalez and Adam Gustafsson. Chang said he has been impressed by their dedication to the team and their positive outlook. He said he knows how important they are if the team wants to reach its goals this year.

"I really enjoy their work ethic," Chang said. "They work hard on and off the court. That is one of the best thing about the freshmen, as they care more and want to win. Their positive attitude is key; it helps a lot when the team is down."

Ustundag has been blown away by the freshmen's professionalism and immediate willingness to learn. To him, that is one of the best things he sees as a coach. He said that with the effort they put in, the results will eventually follow, and hopefully the team will keep this up for  years to come.

"What we can hope for at this point is their attention to preparation, their manner in the amateur setting," Ustundag said. "They respond to coaching well, and they have bought into Rice University quickly. When the professionalism clicks in this early, it just means they are on the right track. Each day, I think they take a new step in the right direction, and they want to take this team to the next level. I see them doing that for the next three to four years, and it makes me excited."

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