There are certain aspects of today’s match that Kyle Spencer doesn’t want to think about.
The third-year coach wants to see his Terrapins men’s tennis team build upon its efforts from Sunday’s 5-2 victory over No. 18 North Carolina. He wants his team to avenge its 4-3 loss to Georgia Tech on March 25. Most of all, he wants his team to have the same camaraderie and post-match jubilation it showed walking off the Cole Fieldhouse tennis courts this weekend.
The one thing he doesn’t want to think about? The fact that the Terps’ first-round match in the ACC Tournament could be the last team match in program history.
“I don’t think it’s something to really look at,”task at hand.”
The team is one of eight university teams currently at risk of being cut at the end of the season. With a spot in the NCAA Tournament not yet secured, a loss to the Yellow Jackets today could mean the end of the program in team competition.
Clearly, the No. 59 Terps’ (7-14, 4-7 ACC) matchup with No. 63 Georgia Tech (9-12, 4-7) today in Cary, N.C., will have storylines beyond the Yellow Jackets’ narrow victory earlier this season. The team will also be looking to keep its season alive, if even for just one more day, one more match.
“Our team mentality, moving forward in these matches, is on to the next one,” Spencer said. “We beat one team, we move on to the next one.”
At least the Terps are entering today’s contest in good spirits. They’ve won three of their past four matches against ranked opponents, most recently their first victory over the Tar Heels in 22 years.
ACC Co-Player of the Week Vlad Stefan has played some of his best tennis of the season of late, rising to No. 88 in the national rankings. He defeated No. 36 Chris Mengel of Duke and No. 81 Brennan Boyajian of North Carolina last weekend, bringing his record to 6-4 in his past 10 matches and 6-5 against ranked opponents.
“I’m proud of Vlad,” Spencer said. “He really put us over the line in terms of understanding he needed to come back and get on track.”
Tommy Laine has also picked up his play recently, going 7-3 in his past 10 matches and losing only one of his past seven. Laine won his singles matches in critical victories for the Terps against North Carolina, No. 38 NC State and No. 69 Miami.
“All the guy does everyday is fight his butt off and try,” Spencer said. “[He] comes out with the most energy and a great attitude everyday. And what can you say about someone like that?”
In doubles, the 23rd-ranked pair of Maros Horny and John Collins will be charged with the unenviable task of facing Georgia Tech’s No. 2 pairing of Kevin King and Juan Spir. Horny and Collins were the only ACC duo to defeat the Yellow Jacket’s star doubles team this season.
“We do not prepare for doubles,” Spencer said. “It’s not something we go into practice thinking, Oh, we need to work on doubles.”
The Terrapins women’s tennis team also begins its ACC Tournament slate in Cary today. And the Terps, just like their male counterparts, are taking on the Yellow Jackets.
After tough losses to both Duke and North Carolina over the weekend, the Terps (7-14, 1-10 ACC) hope to bounce back against No. 25 Georgia Tech (12-10, 6-5) in the first round of the tournament.
The Yellow Jackets have won the past two in their series with the Terps, beating them in last season’s ACC Tournament and again in their regular-season matchup March 23.
The women’s team will play on after today’s match, win or lose. With the impending budget cuts, the men’s team might not be so lucky.
Spencer and his Terps have met the Yellow Jackets twice in the tournament, with Georgia Tech winning both meetings. If they can eliminate the mental errors they made in their first matchup with Georgia Tech this season, today might not be the last time they step onto the court together as a team.
“It’s like the old cliché: It’s just one game at a time,” Spencer said. “There’s no pressure but the pressure we’re putting on ourself. We control our own destiny.”
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