|
Monmouth tennis team jumps right
into competition
Release Date: January 31, 2007
MONMOUTH, Ill. — Monmouth College
men’s tennis coach Chad Braun is in the kind of coaching dilemma
that he would never need to worry about in his other Fighting Scot
sport. As part of the MC football staff, Braun knows it would be
unthinkable to have the team’s first game two days after its first
practice.
But that is what will be asked of his tennis team, which takes to
the courts Saturday in Pella, Iowa, to meet host Central College and
Buena Vista University. That’s less than 48 hours after the team
holds its first official practice on Feb. 1.
“Our ultimate lineup won’t be set until mid-March,” said Braun, who
guided the Scots to a school-record 22 victories last year and a
third-place finish in the Midwest Conference. “Early on, our focus
will just be on getting better with each match and getting ready for
our conference season (which starts April 7).”
On the eve of the first practice, Braun had ideas on how his singles
players would line up and who would be partners for doubles, but
virtually nothing is set in stone. The only lock appears to be
sophomore Kyle Korb, who will move up three slots from last year to
take the vacant No. 1 position.
“He’s really improved his serve,” said Braun of Korb, who was 18-12
in singles last year. “I talked to him at the end of last year about
the need for him to really step up his game, and he’s done that. I
think one thing you’ll see him do this year is finish points
quicker. He can really hit some winners now.”
Braun’s team has no freshmen, so every slot in the lineup will be
filled by a veteran with double-digit wins at the college level.
Early on, junior Kevin Kamenjarin (18-11 in 2006) might get the call
to play No. 2, a spot that was filled by senior Jared Kunkle last
year. Kunkle put together a 21-9 season, but a layoff from
competitive play might move him down a spot or two during the indoor
portion of Monmouth’s season.
Junior Matt Moser made history a year ago, winning a school-record
18 straight matches to become the Scots’ first-ever MWC singles
champion. Like Kunkle, Moser’s game figures to round into better
shape a month or so into the season, so Braun might keep him at No.
5 singles and move senior Alex Carter ahead of him. Carter reached
the championship singles match last spring at No. 6, posting an
overall record of 22-10.
Senior Greg Bouslog, who was a regular in the lineup in 2004 and
2005, should be counted on once again, and classmate Brian Jordan
rounds out Braun’s experienced seven-man roster.
Braun, who also tinkered with his doubles lineup last spring, is
still exploring several different doubles combinations.
“A lot depends on how the guys work together,” he said. “Our
changing and switching all worked out for the best last year.”
Kunkle and Kamenjarin eventually were paired up and won the No. 2
doubles title, and Moser and Carter reached the finals at No. 3
doubles and were 14-5 as partners.
“I think a goal for this team is to finish above .500 in dual
matches and to be one of the four playoff teams in the conference,”
concluded Braun. “We play a vicious non-conference schedule. There
are no easy matches.”
That schedule includes the team’s home opener on Feb. 17 against
Wheaton and Wartburg. There are four other home dates scattered
throughout the slate, which comes to a close April 27-29 at the MWC
Championships in Madison, Wis.
Men's Tennis
|
