Despite an inconsistent season, the Vandal men’s tennis team ended on a high note as they defeated top-seeded New Mexico State Aggies in the finals of the WAC Championships 4-2.
Photos by Jared Williams, Western Athletic Conference | Courtesy
Both tennis teams pose with their trophies after Idaho’s dual-championship day.
“It was a grinding season. We are not used to having losing seasons,” coach Jeff Beaman said. “It really showed the perseverance of the guys. The guys stepped up and played their best tennis at the time it matters most.”
This was the Vandals’ second trip to Las Cruces, N.M., this spring, with the first ending in a demoralizing 4-0 loss on Feb. 16. However, the experience that the team gained in its first go-around with the Aggies and the New Mexican desert proved vital, as they were able to avenge that loss and claim its first WAC championship win.
“We were waking up at 4 a.m. Moscow time to go and eat breakfast and hit the facility,” Beaman said of the time difference. “Having an off day and practicing with the bye definitely gave us an advantage that we may not have had without the bye.”
The Aggies and Vandals went back and forth on the singles side, with Aremity Nikitin, Andrew Zedde and Cristobal Ramos Salazar notching wins. Ramos Salazar fought out of an early 2-5 deficit in the first set to win his match and force the doubles to be played. The match came down to the doubles point with both squads tied at 3-3.
The doubles lineup that the Vandals used late in the season proved to be key in their late season success.
“We got to the point where we felt that we had something that was working and we’ve won a few matches, why change it?” Beaman said. “We always knew that Jose (Bendeck) and Cristobal (Ramos Salazar) were our No. 1. It was just finding those other two that took time.”
The Vandals won the crucial doubles point as well, despite standout No. 1 pairing Ramos Salazar and Bendeck falling for only the second time this spring. But the Vandals picked up victories at No. 2 and No. 3 from Odon Barta and Zedde at No. 2 and Nikitin and Cesar Torres at No. 3.
Torres dealt with cramping between his singles and doubles matches. Had he not been able to work the cramp out between the two contests, he would have had to sit out the match. Torres had a few other minor injuries that he dealt with throughout the spring. Luckily for Idaho, he didn’t have to sit out as he and Nikitin were able to clinch the win at No. 3 doubles in a come-from-behind effort.
Had the Vandals not secured a first-round bye, Beaman said there could have been a possibility of cramping in their 4-2 semifinal victory over Texas-Pan American on Saturday as opposed to in the finals against NMSU.
The Vandals came away with victories by Bendeck, Nikitin, Ramos-Salazar and Zedde against UTPA on the singles side. Due to weather, they didn’t play the doubles on account of the Vandals having already clinched the victory.
This was the Vandals’ first WAC championship and they dealt with Beaman coaching both the men’s and women’s teams this spring. Former women’s coach Myriam Sopel left Idaho for the UTEP coaching job before the season started.
Beaman credited his staff and players for stepping up and being able to travel and practice without their coach at times.
The Vandals aren’t done yet, however. Beaman said the team hopes to go out and surprise some people in the NCAA Tournament, which could only help the Vandal program grow further.
The two victories in the WAC Tournament improved the Vandals to 11-13 on the season and per NCAA rules, the tournament championship grants them an automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament. They will find out who and where they play when the brackets are unveiled on April 29.
Joshua Gamez can be reached at [email protected]