Men's tennis has winning weekend

By Luke Samora     1/27/14 6:00pm

The Rice University men's tennis team played two matches this weekend, shutting out the University of Texas, Arlington and Texas A&M University, Prairie View. With a 2-2 record, the team heads on the road this weekend in hopes of having a winning record for the first time this season.

The match against UT Arlington had to be moved inside due to the icy conditions, so it was played at the MET instead of the Jake Hess Tennis Stadium. Even though the match was moved away from Jake Hess, the Owls still beat the Mavericks 4-0. Highlights from the game include Rice taking its first doubles point of the season. Freshman David Warren and sophomore Tommy Bennett along with junior Srikar Allar and junior Leif Berger won their respective doubles matches.

Bennett said he and Warren have great chemistry, which shows on the court.

---

---

"It's a lot of fun playing with Warren," Bennett said. "He's a very positive, supportive partner, which is great. We are both upbeat on court, which is why I think we are working well together."

Bennett said they also aspire to become one of the best men's doubles pairs in the country.

"We share the same ambition of becoming a high nationally-ranked pairing," Bennett said. "[Warren] is very professional on and off the court. I'm looking forward to turning these close losses into wins against big teams."

Head Coach Efe Ustundag said the team showed improvement from last week's performances by making important shots when they were needed the most.

"The biggest issue we faced last weekend was to remain concentrated and focused throughout the entire match," Ustundag said. "Our guys stepped it up when it mattered to win their matches while keeping them from getting too close."

The Owls will play No. 12 Mississippi State on Saturday and No. 53 Texas Tech University on Sunday in Lubbock. Ustundag said he expects the Owls to be ready to fight against major programs from the Southeastern Conference and the Big 12, respectively.

"I am expecting two tough teams without holes in their lineups, who are both coming out of a well-contested weekend," Ustundag said. "I still expect our team to play tough and make sure we continue to play united, focused and intense."

Ustundag said both matches are winnable despite the challenges they present.

"It will come down to a few key points," Ustundag said, "If we make the right decisions play boldly and with aggression, I believe we can win both."

---