The men's tennis team dominated Cornell University Saturday at home in a 6-1 route following a dramatic 4-3 come from behind victory on Friday against Army in Levrone Field House.
"We definitely did not give Army the respect they deserved," Captain Dan Coakley '94 said. "They proved to be a very strong team with great heart. I think we came out a bit flat because of our disappointing loss to Harvard earlier in the week. We played with poor intensity and probably didn't deserve to win, but luck was on our side and somehow we pulled it out."
The Big Green certainly had good luck in capturing three three set matches for the victory. Randy White '94, who was down one set and 0-3 in the second, came back to win a tight tie break in the third, while Jim Rich '96 also downed his opponent in a third set tie breaker. Coakley along with Mike DeGuzman '94 added the other two points for the Big Green.
"The letdown of a disappointing season after winning the Ivy Championship last year couldn't have shown more than it did against Army," Rich said. "No one wanted to be there playing Army, and it almost translated into a sad loss."
"We almost let it get away when we shouldn't have, but we pulled it out," Coach Chuck Kinyon said. "It was very exciting and excruciating at the same time."
Despite the seven hour battle against Army, the men were well prepared for Cornell the next day.
"It was fairly easy to get up for the Cornell match since we had performed so [poorly] the day before," Coakley said. "I think we were all a little disappointed in our approach to the Army match and wanted to prove to ourselves that we were a better team than that."
The men started out strong capturing the doubles points and then continued to dominate with singles victories from Coakley, Holden Spaht '94, White, DeGuzman and Kurt Bruggeman '95.
"We walked off the courts Friday intensely embarrassed, and I think that is why we came out fighting so hard against Cornell on Saturday," Rich said.
One unexpected surprise for the Big Green was an invitation to the NCAA Eastern Regionals. Monday, West Virginia University was declared ineligible, and the men, who placed fifth in their region, moved up to the fourth seed, which qualified them for the NCAA's for the first time in the history of the program.
In the first round May 14, the men will play Columbia University, whom the Big Green lost to in a 4-3 battle earlier this season. After achieving their season goal by earning a spot in the tournament, Dartmouth will be up for the challenge.
"We've worked hard as a team overall, and it's been a good year," Coakley said. "Although we've had some disappointing losses, we hung in there and it's paid off. If we play the tennis we're capable of at regionals, we'll be right in there with the other top teams."
