Time for a Change in Slugville...

Dear Slug Tennis Family,

We are approaching the start of yet another season in Slugville! As many of you are already aware I will not be returning to coach the Slugs this upcoming year. This will be my last entry in gratitude for the amazing journey I have had with this one of a kind program. When Bob Hansen had originally called me with the idea of taking over as head coach, while he was in conversation with Middlebury College, I didn't know what to think. I knew at the time I wanted to become a teacher, working with kids was my passion, but when would I have an opportunity like this ever again? After some serious thought and deliberation I decided to go for it, making a commitment to myself to coach the next two seasons with everything I had.

These past two years have been some of the most growth filled years of my life. I can honestly say I did the very best job I could have done, reaping more benefits than I could have ever imagined. The lessons learned, the skills acquired, and most importantly the relationships built, are all things I will take with me for the rest of my life. 

I would like to take a second to thank the man who started Slug Tennis 30+ years ago, Bob Hansen. One of the most amazing people that I have ever met, Bob has had more positive influence over my life than I could ever articulate. He built this exceptional tennis program from the ground up, ingrained to its very core with character, heart, strength, and love. I know I am one of hundreds who are grateful for all that Bob has done, having had so much positive impact over so many people.

A sincere thank you to all the players I have had the privilege of working with these past eight years. Going through this experience with you guys, with the kind of depth that Slug Tennis provides, is what has made this whole journey worth while. You guys are and will always be family to me. Lastly I want to thank the entire Slug Tennis community. The support I felt from my very first day was profound, without you this program could not function.  

Upon exit I ask two things of all of you who have supported Slug Tennis over the years. If Slug Tennis has had any positive impact in your life I am going to ask you to write a letter to the people in charge of this University. Whether you are a parent, alumni, fan, or donor, please consider taking some time to let these people know your story. Even a short email of a few paragraphs would add immensely in this effort. As many of you are aware the UCSC athletic program is the most underfunded and under staffed athletic program in the country. When taking on this job two years ago I was offered $10,000 without benefits, a common package for most coaches here at UCSC. On top of that the University provides roughly $10,000 for each teams operating budget, teams are expected to fundraise the rest. It is clear to me that this kind of financial support is absolutely inappropriate and unacceptable. It is time for a change, only possible if we all work together in this effort.  

I have written to all of the newspapers in the bay area, including the three people listed below, in hopes of bringing attention and change to this situation. Keep in mind that this is not the fault of the athletic program here at UCSC. It is the decision of those who run this University in terms of how they financially support their athletic program. In my letter to those listed below I emphasized what programs like Slug Tennis do for the student-athletes, for the tennis community, for this University. I told them how a program like this has lasting impact over student-athletes for the rest of their lives. I made it clear that $25,000 with minimal benefits should be the absolute minimum any head coach at UCSC should receive. This University needs to provided their employees with the bare essentials to survive, with an opportunity to do their work and have positive impact over these student-athletes.

Please take some time to write a letter or email to those listed below:

Chancellor Blumenthal:

Chancellor’s Office

1156 High St

Santa Cruz, CA 95064

Chancellor@ucsc.edu

Vice Chancellor Alison Galloway:

Chancellor’s Office

1156 High St

Santa Cruz, CA 95064

Gallow@ucsc.edu

Assoc. Vice Chancellor Alma Sifuentes:

1156 High St-Hahn Bldg

Santa Cruz, CA 95064

alma@ucsc.edu

Lastly I ask that you continue to support Slug Tennis like you have always done. I recently spoke with the new head coach, Christian De Jesus Nazario, and was absolutely inspired with his optimism and determination in taking over this program. His passion and commitment to coach and lead these young men, embracing the given challenges, clearly demonstrates his character. I ask that you show the same support to him that you showed to me upon arrival. 100% of all donations made to UCSC Men’s Tennis will go directly to the Men’s Tennis budget, to help pay for travel, equipment, among other necessities to run this tennis program. The Slug Tennis family is one of a kind, thank you all so much for everything,

Sincerely, 

Bryce Parmelly

Slug Season Wrap-Up for 2013

Dear Slug Tennis Family,

This past weekend the Slug Tennis Season officially came to a close with Erich Koenig competing in the NCAA National Singles Championships in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Before we get into that piece of the season I would like to recap our last dual match of the year down at Regionals in LA earlier this month.

In the 2^nd round of Regionals we were to play a very tough Cal Lutheran University, a team ranked as high as #4 in the country, a team that we had beat earlier this season by the skin of our teeth on our home courts. It was a hot Saturday morning, and I am happy to say we had tons of friends and family out for the match.

The momentum swung in our favor early with a dominant display of doubles by our #2 team of Chris Goetz and Andre Halabi. This 8-2 victory was some of the best doubles these two had played all year, finishing their season UNDEFEATED as a team! Next off was a tough loss by Erich Koenig/Erik Rosner, playing hard against one of the top teams in the country. Last off was the team of Bryce Bettwy/Max Littlejohn, who played extremely well and clutch putting the Slugs up 2-1 after doubles.

In singles the Kingsman came out strong putting the pressure on early. First off was a tough loss by Chris Goetz who battled the whole way through. The next two off were Andre Halabi and Erich Koenig who faced losses to very strong Cal Lu players at #1 and #2. Erich played some fantastic stretches in his match, coming up just short of taking his match to a third set. Down 4-2, the Slugs had three guys remaining as they battled on court. Max Littlejohn was up 4-2 in the third set playing exceedingly well, Sam was on serve 5-6 in the second set after losing the first, looking stronger and stronger, and Bryce Bettwy was down a set and a break at #3 singles. Fighting to the very end Bryce was the next court off losing his match, and just like that the team season for the Slugs was over.

It was a pretty emotional end to the season, I don’t know how else to say it. Not getting what you want and work so hard for isn’t easy, it hurts. To take a step back and realize all that we had put forth, I feel so very proud. I wouldn’t want to go through this kind of season with any other group of young men. I have closing thoughts that I would like to share, but I will save them for my last blog entry of the season that will be soon to come. I would however like to say a few words on behalf of each individual that was apart of this very special team.

Jimmy Soper: You stepped in as our only freshman and were part of the family instantly. Your combination of competitiveness, determination, and overall kindness, is a blend that I find truly amazing. I am so eager to see you as an impact player next season as I know you will succeed.

Garrett Deguchi: I remember watching you try out this past summer being blown away with how much you had improved on your own in just one years time. You were clearly one of the most improved players of this team this season, if not the most improved, and I know you will be an absolute stud next season.

Max Littlejohn: You had an incredible season, beating one of CMS’s top players at Ojai was definitely a highlight. You fought all season to grow and improve and deserve all the successes you accomplished. On top of that you made this journey an absolute blast for me, thank you so much.

Eli Scandalis: You have brought so much to this team since you first stepped foot on these courts as a transfer. You have been a leader, both with words and by example, and have always had this teams success held as your #1 priority. Watching your tennis grow has been amazing, your UCSD dominant victory being one example, I cannot wait to see you lead these boys next year as I know what you are capable of.

Bryce Bettwy: You’ve had an amazing season packed with plenty of fantastic matches and results. I will never forget your effort with SD. I so appreciate your honesty and integrity throughout the season. You have been one of our best fighters and, like your boy Max, have made me laugh throughout the entire season. I’m excited to see you lead this group next season.

Chris Goetz: There is no doubt that all your hard work this season paid off. You have played a crucial role this year having had one of the most dominant doubles seasons I have ever seen. Thanks for all your hard work and determination. I am eager to see you lead this charge with the rest of the returners next year.

Andre Halabi: What an amazing career. Becoming one of the toughest spots in our lineup this season, both singles and doubles, all the hours put in making it possible. You have earned every amazing accomplishment you have achieved these past four years, I feel so fortunate to have had the opportunity to do it with you. Thank you so much for everything.

Erich Koenig: Your dedication and contribution to this program these past four years has been one of a kind. You put forth the type of effort that was crucial in making this program tick the way it does. Thank you so much for the incredible ride and all that you have given, I will never forget it.

Erik Rosner: Watching you mature as a young man over the years has been pretty special. Seeing your ability to work harder and harder grow over time is something you should be proud of. You have played some amazing tennis (Semi’s at Indoor Nationals 2012 vs. Wash U. ring a bell?), but moreso given what you had for the best of the team. Thanks for always supporting me though it all.

Sam Rodgers: The man with the windy path. You worked so hard since the day you got here and never gave up. You had adversity thrown your way over and over again, you always came back. You had one of the most dominant singles seasons ever this year, you earned every bit of it. Thank you so much for you dedication and openness to learn these four years.

Erich Koenig lost to a very tough Trey Mayer from Williams in the 1^st round of Nationals last weekend 6-4, 6-3. He came out strong, as strong as he possibly could, but under a combination of factors came up short in the end. It was an emotional way to end the 2013 season, watching this senior do battle for the last time in a Slug uniform, I was proud of how he fought through completion.

 I will have one final wrap-up post to come before the beginning of next year. This 2013 season was one I will never forget. It was a deep and meaningful season, filled with highs, lows, and lessons to learn. I am so grateful I was apart of it.  I would love to quickly show my appreciation for my assistant coach Brian Pybas. He did a remarkable job this season, no doubt about it, always staying true to himself and leading the way he knew best. Thank you Brian for everything. As always I will keep you posted,

Sincerely,

Coach Parmelly

Ojai Recap, Slugs off to the NCAA’s…

Slug Tennis Family,

Last weekend the Slugs played the annual invitational Ojai tennis tournament. It is an amazing event, including draws for all collegiate divisions, with a strong history of success for the Slugs. Highlights of the tournament:

-Erik Rosner beat Mac Cahill from CMS 6-3, 6-0 in the first round, soon after playing a great match losing to the number one seed Nick Ballou 6-4, 6-3. Later that day Eli Scandalis and Erik Rosner lost a very close first round playing some fantastic doubles.

-Erich Koenig had a tough round of 16 loss in singles, but bounced back to play some strong doubles with partner Chris Goetz before losing in the semi-finals of the doubles draw to the number one team from CMS.

-Chris Goetz also reached the semi-finals of the independent singles draw, losing in a close 6-3, 7-5, battle to the eventual winner of the tournament.

-Freshman Jimmy Soper also won his first round in the independent singles draw by a score of 6-1, 6-2.

-Both Sam Rodgers and Andre Halabi won their first rounds before losing to very tough opponents later that afternoon.

-The biggest highlight of the tournament was the singles effort made by sophomore Max Littlejohn. After losing the first set to a strong Anish Nanda from Redlands, Max came back to win the next two sets 6-2, 6-2, playing amazingly aggressive and consistent tennis. Next round he played the number five seed Joe Dorn of CMS, it was a match for the ages. Max won the first set 7-5 and lost the second 2-6, again playing consistently aggressive tennis, ripping forehands through the court over and over again. At 1-0 in the third Max started to cramp, not a good sign, but with an injury timeout managed to hang strong. With a score of 6-3 in the third set Max pulled out the upset, playing the best tennis he has played all year, showing amazing grit and heart all the way through the finish.

The NCAA Team Championship Bracket has been posted! 

http://www.ncaa.com/interactive-bracket/tennis-men/d3

All information regarding the tournament (match times and locations, live scoring, video, results, etc.) can be found at the host schools athletic website: http://www.cmsathletics.org/sports/mten/2012-13/2013_MT_Regionals/championship_central

We are scheduled to rematch Cal Lutheran at 10am on Saturday May 11^th at the CMS courts. I am aware of all the friends and family that are coming to support and must say how much we all appreciate it. If we win this match, there is a good chance we will have a rematch with CMS on Sunday May 12^th at high noon.

We had a small team meeting in Ojai after our second day of competition. It wasn’t the best tournament for us overall, mixed results throughout the event, tough competition within. The key point of the meeting was a group discussion on how we wanted to finish this very special 2013 season. As the boys went around to articulate their thoughts a common theme arose:

         -We want to feel good about how we finish

         -We want to fight with everything we have

         -We want to use each other as we know we are one of the most connected and united teams in the country

         -We want to prepare as thoroughly as we have all season

         -We want to embrace and enjoy this amazing opportunity that awaits us

 

We leave this Thursday to head to Los Angeles for the last time this season. We are the underdogs this weekend, but then again the Slugs are always the underdogs. We have always accomplished what others considered impossible; grit, heart, and connection leading the charge.We are excited, we are prepared, and we will fight like we have all season. We are Champions...

Sincerely,

Coach Parmelly

Slugs vs. Stags, Round 1 Stags

Slug Tennis Family,

This past Sunday the Slugs, currently ranked #10 nationally, fell to #1 CMS of Claremont. This is a rivalry that has been going on since I was a player, every year one of these two teams moving on to the final 8 in the NCAA’s, in hopes of a National Title.  I would be lying if I were to say that it wasn’t a tough and painful loss, working so hard and coming up short is never easy, but I wouldn’t want to experience this with any other group of young men. This team is very special, and the bottom line still remains, regionals are three weeks away, and we’re not done by a long shot…

Sunday late morning the Slugs cam out to a great start. While we were down a break early at #1 doubles, we were up a break at both #2 and #3. As the momentum swayed back and forth the Slugs kept fighting. With an 8-4 loss from Chris Goetz/Erich Koenig at #1 and an 8-5 loss from Bryce Bettwy/Max Littlejohn at #2, the Slugs were down to Sam Rodgers and Andre Halabi at #3. It was an amazing match, even having at match point at 8-7, but Dre and Sam came up a hair short, losing 9-8 in a tiebreaker.

The momentum on their side the Stags came out strong. We ended up losing five of the six matches in straight sets. Erich Koenig had a very strong second set at #1 singles but came up a few points short losing 6-3, 7-5. Andre, Bryce, Max, and Eli, had stretches of good play but never quite got their rhythm/momentum going. Our one victory came from Sam Rodgers who beat a very talented Alex Lane at #4 in a super-tiebreaker. It was a pretty amazing checkmark for Sam on how far he as come since starting here at Santa Cruz four years ago.

Pushing past the sting, hurt, and pain, the Slugs put together another great practice today. I am extremely impressed once again on how this team handles adversity, no time to hang our heads, there is work to be done. We leave this Thursday for the annual Ojai tournament. Here is the link to the doubles and singles draws: http://tennislink.usta.com/Tournaments/TournamentHome/Tournament.aspx?T=131585

I will keep you posted on the results.

Sincerely,

Coach Parmelly

Slugs take down #4 Cal Lutheran, on to CMS…

Slug Tennis Family,

Last Sunday the boys of Slug Tennis faced the number four team in the country Cal Lutheran of southern California. It was a match we had all be gearing up for, our first match since our spring break trip, and last regular-season home match of the season. It did not disappoint, coming down to the very last shot.

We started in doubles going down early at #1 while having very tight and close matches at #2 and #3. Andre and Sam went up an early break at #3, while Max and Bryce got down an early break at #2. Erich and Chris went down breaks early to a very tough Cal Lu team, and although they held their last four service games, ended up losing by a score of 8-4. Bryce and Max fought back to get the break back, even went up a break at one point, but were on serve at 6-6 before dropping the last two games. Down 2-0 it all came down to Sam and Dre who went from 5-5, to 6-6, to 7-7. It was a match we needed if we were going to have any chance of winning that late afternoon, Sam and Dre stepped up huge when they needed to, keeping us alive going into singles down 2-1.

With a tough 6-1, 6-0 loss from Eli at #5, the Slugs were down 3-1. Erich Koenig, facing on of the top players in the country, fought to play a very strong 2^nd set, but came up short with a 6-0, 6-4 loss putting the Slugs down 4-1. With four matches left on the court and four matches needed for the win, the Slugs, as they tend to do, started to chip away at the huge mountain ahead of them. First off was Andre “Sniper” Halabi with an impeccable performance giving the Slugs hope taking them to 4-2. Dre won decisively 6-1, 6-0, as he demonstrated once again how incredibly tough he is at his spot. Next off was Bryce Bettwy with a 6-4, 6-0 win, bringing the Slugs within range at 4-3. Once Bryce grabbed the momentum, he never looked back. With two matches left and Sam and Max still playing, the crowd circled as the cheering grew louder and louder from both sides. Sam won the first set 6-1, and although was down a break 3-2 in the second, came back to win four straight games to clinch his match! The overall score was now 4-4! It was yet another demonstration by Sam on his ability to turn it on when needed. As Sam finished his match, the whole facility moved to surround Max Littlejohn’s match on court #6.  He had won the first set 6-3, but was down 4-1 in the 2^nd  as his opponent had elevated his game. Point by point, Max started to gain momentum. 1-4, 2-4, 3-4, 4-4, Max went on to play the best tennis I have ever seen as he won five straight games to clinch the match for the Slugs! The fans roared as the players charged, it was yet another huge and amazing effort by the Slugs.

The Slugs leave today to head for LA for their last regular season match of the year. We will be facing the #1 team in the country and our long-time rival Claremont-Mckenna. It will be played this upcoming Sunday at 11am at CMS. In terms of hosting the NCAA regionals, it all comes down to who wins this match. Up to this point I can proudly say that I have a group of truly amazing young men that I am so excited to go into battle with this upcoming weekend. They have put in more time and energy as a whole, than any other team I have been apart of. They continue to push each other on a daily basis, demanding so much from themselves and from each other. The environment is healthy, challenging, and positive, it is an environment that has made our progress this season possible.

I would briefly like to congratulate these boys on two awards they recently received this past few weeks. Our team was just awarded for having the highest team GPA out of any other male sports team here at UCSC this year (3.3 average). On top of that the boys just received a National Sportsmanship award given by the ITA. This award is not just for division 3, but includes all tennis teams from all divisions throughout the entire country (http://www.itatennis.com/AboutITA/News/UC_Santa_Cruz_Men__Kansas_State_Women_Receive_April_ITA_National_Team_Sportsmanship_Award.htm).  These are amazing accomplishments that attest to the character these boys embody.

Thanks once again for all the support out there. It is so awesome to have fans and family so connected with this team, makes the whole thing an absolute blast! The showdown in LA is a few days away, these boys are ready, as always I’ll keep you posted…

Sincerely,

Coach Parmelly 

Spring Break recap for the Slugs-Next up Cal Lutheran…

Slug Tennis Family,

The Slugs got back late last Friday night after a long week (spring break) of tennis. Five dual matches in six days, three wins, two losses, tons of highlights, and most importantly, ample information as we set our sights on our final stretch of the season. It was a fantastic trip on the whole, tons of support from family and friends, and continued beastly efforts from the Slug Warriors in yellow. I’m going to keep the recaps short, I have dinner plans in six hours, but will give you some insight into each of the five matches. If you would like specific scores of these matches please go our www.goslugs.com website.

Day 1

UCSC vs Middlebury(#9)

Our first match of the spring break was a tough one. Middlebury played strong that day, and although we took the #3 doubles match soundly and went three sets in four of the six singles matches, the panthers walked away with an 8-1 victory.  Chris Goetz and Andre stacked our only win at #3 doubles 8-2. At #1 doubles Erich Koenig and Erik Rosner lost a close 8-6 match with momentum swings from start to finish.

In singles Andre Halabi and Erik Rosner lost in straight sets. Erich Koenig and Eli Scandalis lost in three set matches, while both Bryce Bettwy and Sam Rodgers lost in super tiebreakers after the match was decided. Other highlights included great play by Jimmy Soper and Garrett Deguchi in exhibition doubles, followed by singles exhibition wins from both Max Littlejohn and Jimmy. It was a tough loss for us that day and I was very impressed with how the team handled it. The next day we were to play Williams, the #3 team in the country.

Day 2

UCSC vs Williams(#3)

On day two we were off to play Williams of Massachusetts. The doubles was tight as I was very impressed with the level on all courts. Bryce and Max lost to a very tough #2 team and Erik and Erich lost another close one 9-7 at #1. Our last match on was Chris Goetz and Andre Halabi at #3, who hadn’t lost a match in who knows how long. With absolutely brilliant and clutch play Chris and Dre took down their match 8-6, Chris holding that left fist high to the sky in celebration.

In Singles we had amazing efforts by Andre and Sam Rodgers both winning in straight sets against extremely tough opponents. Both Andre and Sam are proving how tough they are at their spots day in and day out. With tough 3-set losses by Erich and Bryce at #1 and #3 singles, the Slugs were down 4-3 going into our last matches of the afternoon. We lost both matches in close straight set battles. Erik played an awesome first set at #6 singles, points away from taking it, while Eli played some of the best tennis I have seen him play this season at #5. It was another tough loss to face, but the feeling of what we could accomplish with a little improvement was felt throughout the squad.

Day 3

UCSC vs Depauw

With an attempt mix our doubles teams up the Slugs went down 2-1 going into the singles against division 3 Depauw University. It is our goal to put the three best teams together at all three spots, given this last minute change, the boys handled it very well. Erich Koenig/Chris Goetz and Erik Rosner/Bryce Bettwy both lost very close matches. Andre and Max Littlejohn won 8-3 to give us our doubles point. Winning five of the six singles matches in straight sets the Slugs walked away with a 6-3 win. It was a great finish to the day as our boys worked hard. From there it was down to San Diego to play one of our UC Rivals division 2 UCSD.

Day 4

UCSC vs UCSD

With another victory at #3 doubles (seems to be our lucky spot), and losses at #1 and #2 the Slugs went down 2-1 going into singles. We had a long match ahead of us against a very talented team, as always the Slugs dug in and fought with everything they had. With tough straight set losses from Andre and Erik at #2 and #6 singles the Slugs were one match away from defeat. Eli Scandalis played arguably his toughest and most inspiring match of the season, winning at #5 singles 6-3, 7-5. Next off was Erich Koenig with a brilliant 6-0, 7-5, win at #1. Solid and still aggressive, he put a great match together that Thursday afternoon. With that the Slugs were down 4-3 with two matches left on the court. Bryce Bettwy and Sam Rodgers…

As Bryce split sets at #3 singles I went over to see how Sam was doing. My assistant coach Brian Pybas went over to sit with Bryce, if there was anyone who could help Bryce through this one it was Brian. His coaching has improved dramatically this season with leadership and commitment like I have never seen from him. Sam had won the first set and was in a close 2^nd set when I arrived. From 3-2 he went on to win the next three games, clinching his match and bringing his team to a 4-4 tie. Sam continues to impress with his ability to step up when the time is needed most. I had heard that Bryce was down 5-1 at one point in the third, holding serve his opponent was serving for the match at 5-2. 30-0, Rajeev Herekar was 2 points away from clinching the match for the Tritons. 30-15…30-30…30-40…Break Bryce Bettwy! At 3-5 Bryce held again, Rajeev was to serve it out again at 5-4. Watching Bryce go into “lockdown mode” as we like to call it was absolutely moving. He was relentless, focused, determined, and fearless. Three games later, with a final score of 6-3, 3-6, 7-5, the match was over, our boys charging the court to give Bryce Bettwy a much deserved smothering.  It was such a special day that seemed to put the Slugs back on track. Gritty and tenacious these boys refuse to fold.

Day 5

UCSC vs Mesa Jr. College

Our last match of the break was against a strong Jr. College team from San Diego. With wins from Erich/Chris, Max/Bryce, and Sam/Andre, the Slugs went up 3-0 going into singles. Bryce, Sam, and Erik Rosner finished first with dominating straight set victories. Next off was Max and Erich Koenig with super tiebreaker victories with Andre finishing the 9-0 victory 7-6, 7-5 at #2. It was a great match to close down the break, plenty of highlights and plenty of information on how to improve.

Special thanks to the Koenig’s for such a great visit and feeding the boys Tuesday night. Enrique’s meatballs gave them fuel for three days solid! Huge thanks to the Rosner’s who housed most our boys for 3 days/nights, along with tons of food and hospitality. Aneesa and Dwane huge thanks for the grub and ping pong tourney, along with the awesome hospitality from the Bettwy’s. To all the parents and supporters/friends that made it out to the matches, thanks as always for the support.

Next up is our last and biggest home match of the season against #6 Cal Lutheran University on Sunday April 14^th at 1pm. With the potential to host regionals still intact, the Slugs are looking for a much needed win on these our home courts. It has been one amazing season so far, the finish line in sight, our plan is to peak when it’s most needed. This is the part of the season we train for, we prepare for, the time when we put it all together in attempt to win a NCAA National Title. These boys are putting in hours and hours of work, they are extremely fit, they are mentally tough, and they are the last team I would want to face in regionals come may. I’ll keep you posted…

Sincerely,

Coach Parmelly

Here Come the Slugs...

Slug Tennis Family,

The biggest home weekend for the Slugs came to conclusion this past Monday; the results were phenomenal. It was a grueling streak of matches that tested us in so many ways, in ways we absolutely needed to be tested. What I was most proud of in regard to this three-day effort was the consistency of our toughness as we competed throughout the weekend. This team is becoming tough as nails as they set the standard in "bringing it" to every match they play. The areas we have worked so hard to improve are improving, the toughness we need to show under pressure is becoming habit, and the necessary components on what it takes to become a National Championship Team are starting to take shape. It was an amazingly special weekend and one as a coach that I will always cherish. If you would like to view specific match scores please visit our home webpage at http://www.goslugs.com/sports/mten/index. Here are the match recaps:

Saturday-Day 1
#11 UCSC vs #16 Pomona-Pitzer Colleges
8-1 Slugs

This match was one we had been anticipating for quite some time. Pomona-Pitzer has been an extremely tough team these past years, we knew we were in for a battle. As the match began teams of Erich and Erik and Andre and Chris came out hot. Chris and Andre won convincingly at #3 doubles 8-3, while Erich and Erik took down an extremely tough and seasoned #1 team from PP 8-5. Last on was Bryce and Max who were down at one point 2-5 in their #2 doubles match. With their energy staying high the boys fought back to 7-7 before running away with the match 9-7! With that the Slugs were up 3-0 going into the singles. Doubles has been a huge area of work for us these past months and to see it come together in our first doubles sweep of the season was major.

With the momentum on our racquets the Slugs stayed strong as we started the singles. With straight set victories from our 2-5 singles (Dre, Bryce, Sam, and Eli), the Slugs were walking away with a Victory. Bryce and Eli dominated the competition while Dre and Sam came up with the goods as the 2nd sets became close. With a close 3-set loss from Riza at #6, and a 3rd set super-breaker victory from Black Bear #1, the Slugs were walking away with an 8-1 victory. It was an amazing start to the weekend, setting the tone for the rest of our competitions.

Sunday-Day 2
UCSC vs #20 U. of Texas-Tyler
6-3 Slugs

This was no doubt the toughest team we faced over the weekend. With some extremely tough new additions to the team, UTT came at us as hard as we came at them. The doubles effort had been so amazing the day before, it was our intention to do it again knowing the strength of this Texas singles lineup. You may be starting to notice a trend and yes Andre and Chris won again at #3 doubles, on this day 8-2. These two have worked extremely hard at their doubles over the months, all of the components are clicking. Andre getting balls down while Chris taking over, it is a fantastic daily effort to say the least from these two. At #2 Doubles Bryce and Max gave an even better effort taking down their opponents 8-4. It is so fun to see these two clicking again as they are playing at a level we all knew possible. Erik and Erich lost at #1 8-2 to a very tough team from UTT. A combination of playing a very strong team along with not playing their best stuff and the match was decided. As we gathered in our team circle as we do after every doubles effort we were going into the singles up 2-1. Going into the singles with a lead is exactly what we needed, the boys had had fire in their eyes as we went out to chip away at the huge singles effort we were about to undertake.

Erik Rosner started us off with a 6-3, 6-3, victory giving the Slugs a 3-1 lead. It was an awesome effort by Riza to keep the momentum going in our favor. With tough losses at #1 and #2 singles (Black Bear and Dre), the score was 3-3 as the match was hanging on a thread. Eli at #5 was down a set and a break while Bryce was just starting his third set against tenacious #3 from Brazil. Sam had won the first set but was down a break to a very impressive #4 from UTT. This was the point of the match where heart and toughness was needed the most. Without hesitation the Slugs stepped up. Bryce was first off with a 6-3 third set victory over back-court Brazilian to give us a 4-3 lead. Next off was Eli with a 6-4 third set victory clinching the match for the Slugs! The comeback Eli displayed that match was one of the highlights of the weekend. Last up was Sam Rodgers who came away with yet another victory by the thinnest of margins. 7-6, 7-6, Sam went for his shots when the pressure was the highest, absolutely fearless. Two days, two wins, the third day was against the highest ranked team of the three.

Monday-Day 3
UCSC vs. #13 Whitman College
8-1 Slugs

This was the last match of the weekend, could we finish with the same effort we had shown the first two days? Whitman was one of our toughest losses of last season up at their place, this was a match I knew many guys were getting up for. As we sat in our conference room before going out to play that Monday afternoon the overall vibe was mixed. Some guys looked ready and some looked tired. It was going to be a true test for us and to be honest I had no idea how we would handle it. For the third day in a row our doubles put forth a brilliant effort. Andre and Chris won again, this time 8-1, playing hands-down the best doubles I have seen from them. Erich and Erik won 9-7 at #1 with just one break of serve, Riza hitting some huge shots when needed most. Bryce and Max went undefeated on the weekend serving out a 8-6 win for the Slugs. As we went into the circle up after doubles once again, I think we all agreed that we were forming a habit we could all get used to.

As we went out we stayed strong winning four of the six singles matches in straight sets. Erich Koenig at #1 took down the #3 ranked player in the nation 6-1, 7-5! Erich is clearly proving himself as one of the top and toughest players in the country. He has been a leader on this team since the day he stepped foot on these courts as a freshman and is finding his stride as he leads our team at the #1 position in both singles and doubles. At #2 and #3 both Dre and Bryce took down their opponents with another stingy and amazing effort. These two have made habit in not giving their opposition an inch if un-earned. Bryce lost only one set in singles play over the weekend-absolutely ruthless. With Eli losing a tough match against a very tough player at #5, and Riza winning a huge 6-0 third set match at #6, the Slugs were up 7-1 with one match to go.....none other than....Sam Rodgers. I've decided that Sam just really likes to put on a show for the fans as we went into the 10 pt. super-tiebreaker for the match. At 0-5 Sam must have decided it was time to turn it on because in true Sammy style he came roaring back, one point at a time. With a 10-7 victory the Slugs had won 8-1 and gone 3-0 over a very strenuous weekend. I was so proud of Sam's effort yet again. Not because he won, but because he fought every point to the very end. He dug in deeper and deeper as the matches got closer, with grit and fight, a true warriors effort.

As we look ahead taking confidence and information to work from, the Slugs prepare for a challenging Spring break. The first half of our trip will be in LA followed by a close of the break down in San Diego. We will be facing some of the top teams in the country, a true test for where we are in the heavy mix of division three opponents. Next up is battle with my best friend and mentor Bob Hansen and the Middlebury Panthers on Sunday March 24th at 3pm down in LA. It is a privilege and honor to play this match, as I know we will both be going at each other with everything we have. Thanks once again for all the continued support of Slug Tennis from so many of you. Whether it is a donation or showing up at matches to cheer, I so appreciate keeping this unit we all know as the "Slugs Tennis Family" thriving. As always our quest to become a National Championship team continues. With the NCAA's in approximately two months we will continue to take this season one day at a time. It is what has gotten us to where we are today, it is what will get us where we want to be come may.

Sincerely,

Coach Parmelly