2008 Woodie Awards
Men's tennis looks to A-10 Tournament
Matt Pavao
Issue date: 4/3/08 Section: Sports
04/03/08 - The University of Rhode Island men's tennis is on the right track heading into the Atlantic 10 Tournament this upcoming weekend. Rhode Island won its final two matches of the season with two 6-1 wins against Fordham University and Sacred Heart University last weekend.
"We're playing really well," head coach Val Villucci said. "The team is definitely hitting their stride. You have to feel good about that going into the A-10s with how they've been playing."
The team will head into the tournament with an 11-4 record in spring play and will be able to slot in A-10 Player of the Week Jeff Cote in the No. 1 singles spot. Cote was named player of the week after going 5-1 last week.
"He's just been a solid competitor this spring," Villucci said. "I'm surprised it took this long for them to recognize him. He's been performing incredibly and making a lot of adjustments on the court against different opponents."
The Rams will need Cote to continue his great play after receiving a lower seed than expected. Rhode Island received the No. 8 seed and will have to face No. 1 seed George Washington University if it makes it to the second round.
"I'm not happy about [the low seed.] It is not the best situation," Villucci said. "But in order for us to do what we want to do we have to beat the teams that we face. I feel like a lot of the teams are pretty close in ability level. We don't play all of the A-10 schools so it is hard for the seeding committee to know what teams are in the place that they should be seeded so it is a disadvantage. Either way we'll have to deal with that and do our best."
The only way that the Rams will prove that their seed was too low will be to win matches.
"I feel that we are a better team than some of the seeds above us, but it is what it is," Villucci said.
On Friday Rhode Island will face No. 9 seeded University of Dayton for an 8 a.m. match in Pennsylvania.
The team is on a roll heading into the tournament but Villucci expects the team to continue to get better.
"There are always things to improve," she said. "You can never be satisfied. It is the mission of an athlete to always get better."
"We're playing really well," head coach Val Villucci said. "The team is definitely hitting their stride. You have to feel good about that going into the A-10s with how they've been playing."
The team will head into the tournament with an 11-4 record in spring play and will be able to slot in A-10 Player of the Week Jeff Cote in the No. 1 singles spot. Cote was named player of the week after going 5-1 last week.
"He's just been a solid competitor this spring," Villucci said. "I'm surprised it took this long for them to recognize him. He's been performing incredibly and making a lot of adjustments on the court against different opponents."
The Rams will need Cote to continue his great play after receiving a lower seed than expected. Rhode Island received the No. 8 seed and will have to face No. 1 seed George Washington University if it makes it to the second round.
"I'm not happy about [the low seed.] It is not the best situation," Villucci said. "But in order for us to do what we want to do we have to beat the teams that we face. I feel like a lot of the teams are pretty close in ability level. We don't play all of the A-10 schools so it is hard for the seeding committee to know what teams are in the place that they should be seeded so it is a disadvantage. Either way we'll have to deal with that and do our best."
The only way that the Rams will prove that their seed was too low will be to win matches.
"I feel that we are a better team than some of the seeds above us, but it is what it is," Villucci said.
On Friday Rhode Island will face No. 9 seeded University of Dayton for an 8 a.m. match in Pennsylvania.
The team is on a roll heading into the tournament but Villucci expects the team to continue to get better.
"There are always things to improve," she said. "You can never be satisfied. It is the mission of an athlete to always get better."