With the Big East Tennis Championship Tournament just a week away, expectations are high for both Georgetown’s men’s (10-9, 3-0 Big East) and women’s (13-4, 3-2 Big East) tennis, each of which are poised for strong finishes to the 2013 campaign.
After a slow start that saw them drop eight of the season’s first 10 matches, the Hoya men’s tennis team caught fire. The turnaround was highlighted by a streak for the ages, as the Hoyas rattled off eight straight victories before suffering their first loss in just under a month against cross-town rival George Washington University (12-5, 3-0) this past Sunday. Although their overall record sits just above .500, the Hoya coaching staff is all smiles when it comes to discussing the team’s performance thus far.
“The guys look [at] what we’re doing,” said Head Coach Gordie Ernst. “We beat up on Navy [14-10, 2-1 Patriot], Marist [11-4, 1-0 MAAC], we beat St. John’s [2-14, 0-2 Big East] for the first time in six years. I mean, those are all decent tennis programs. So, we’re happy.”
On an individual note, the men’s squad has been anchored by the dominant play of two sophomores, Alex Tropiano and Shane Korber, two players Ernst feels have been the driving force behind the team’s success.
“They’re such dedicated guys, hard workers,” said Ernst. “At times they haven’t played their best, they’ve taken some tough losses and they just forget about it, go on, and keep working. The fact that they’re both playing so well right now and winning is great.”
Tropiano, in particular, has been a perfect example of what hard work in the face of adversity can accomplish. After being sidelined by an illness during crucial training months in the fall, he has battled back to cement himself as one of the team’s top performers.
“He’s had some adversity, and he’s dealt with it,” Ernst said. “He’s shown great character.”
On the women’s side, consistency has been the name of the game, as the Hoyas have looked strong all season, never losing more than two consecutive games. For the coaching staff, the most impressive aspect of the ladies’ season thus far, however, has nothing to do with wins and losses. It is their ability to improve after each match that the coaches find most remarkable.
“Our girls would have lost that match to East Carolina (12-9) in February, no question about it,” Ernst said. “They’ve gotten tougher and tougher from winning.”
Much of this improvement on the court, according to Ernst, can be attributed to the exemplary leadership abilities of Nora Montgomery. A senior from Winnetka, Ill., Montgomery has seen little court time in her career, but this has not deterred her from being a huge presence in the locker room.
“She’s been a great captain, she’s been with me for four years. She’s the type of kid that the other girls are playing hard for. That speaks very highly of the type of person she is. She’s a character, she’s got great spirit,” Ernst said. “There’s not many kids that are on scholarship for four years, and not play in the lineup, that will stand there in 45 degrees, cheering on their teammates every single moment. I’m gonna give her a lot of credit for why we’re so successful this year.”
Even with confidence at its peak entering postseason play, Ernst is still wary of the battle ahead for both the men’s and women’s teams. With so many strong teams in the conference this year, the players know that success in the tournament will be anything but a walk in the park.
“Notre Dame [15-7, 2-0 Big East] makes a lot of noise…,” Ernst said of both the men’s and women’s side. “They’re good, they’ve got great programs…They’re the teams to beat. Louisville [13-11] is also pretty good. On the women’s side, South Florida [11-6, 6-0 Big East] has a lot of crafty, foreign girls, who are experienced and tough.”
Ernst, however, was quick to add, “Don’t look past the Hoyas.”
Next up for both the men’s squad and the women’s squad are two home matches on Wednesday and Thursday, against University of Maryland Baltimore County and Rutgers University, respectively. Following these matches, the Hoyas will have a full week to prepare for the three-day Big East Tennis Championship Tournament which will take place in South Bend, Ind., from April 18 through April 20.
