2008 Woodie Awards
Gorloks battle SLIAC's best, worst in early conference play
By: Amy Swanson
Issue date: 3/30/06 Section: Sports
- Page 1 of 1
The men's tennis team endured a divided weekend after beating Fontbonne 7-0 March 24 and losing 0-7 to Maryville March 25. The men have improved their St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference record to 1-3 and their overall record to 1-4.
Webster's win over Fontbonne wasn't an easy victory. The match taught everyone how to play tennis in the snow.
"It was freezing outside and snowing so I'm sure nobody wanted to be out there playing," Coach Mike Siener said. "It tests you a little bit mentally because it's not typical conditions that you are used to playing in, but it seems like everyone played through it and played well."
Fontbonne has long been Webster's unspoken rival, so the men's 7-0 victory was a satisfying first win.
One of the best matches of the night was between Gorlok Alex McGrath and Fontbonne's Larry Spears.
"That was a really great match," said sophomore Zach Mangelsdorf. "Alex McGrath played the No. 1 Fontbonne player and he beat the guy, which is really big because he is a real asshole."
Mangelsdorf said near the end of the three-set match between McGrath and Spears it started to get really dark. Due to a city ordinance, the lights at the Webster Groves Recreational Center won't be turned on until April.
"They kept playing even though the light was failing and the guy from Fontbonne tried to get out of the match; talking to his coach, taking forever between points, trying to stall and Alex was calm and ready to play," Mangelsdorf said.
After defeating Fontbonne, roughly 12 hours later, the men were back on the courts to face powerhouse Maryville.
"Their top four players are really solid," Siener said. "A couple of our matches were pretty close and it could've been 5-2, but top to bottom they're much stronger than we are. I think Alex and Zach, my top two players, used that match as a measuring stick of where they need to get to and how much they need to improve for the (SLIAC) tournament, which is at the end of April."
The men travel to Concordia Seminary April 6 following a week and a half break from competitive play and host Illinois College and Eureka College April 8 at home.
Webster's win over Fontbonne wasn't an easy victory. The match taught everyone how to play tennis in the snow.
"It was freezing outside and snowing so I'm sure nobody wanted to be out there playing," Coach Mike Siener said. "It tests you a little bit mentally because it's not typical conditions that you are used to playing in, but it seems like everyone played through it and played well."
Fontbonne has long been Webster's unspoken rival, so the men's 7-0 victory was a satisfying first win.
One of the best matches of the night was between Gorlok Alex McGrath and Fontbonne's Larry Spears.
"That was a really great match," said sophomore Zach Mangelsdorf. "Alex McGrath played the No. 1 Fontbonne player and he beat the guy, which is really big because he is a real asshole."
Mangelsdorf said near the end of the three-set match between McGrath and Spears it started to get really dark. Due to a city ordinance, the lights at the Webster Groves Recreational Center won't be turned on until April.
"They kept playing even though the light was failing and the guy from Fontbonne tried to get out of the match; talking to his coach, taking forever between points, trying to stall and Alex was calm and ready to play," Mangelsdorf said.
After defeating Fontbonne, roughly 12 hours later, the men were back on the courts to face powerhouse Maryville.
"Their top four players are really solid," Siener said. "A couple of our matches were pretty close and it could've been 5-2, but top to bottom they're much stronger than we are. I think Alex and Zach, my top two players, used that match as a measuring stick of where they need to get to and how much they need to improve for the (SLIAC) tournament, which is at the end of April."
The men travel to Concordia Seminary April 6 following a week and a half break from competitive play and host Illinois College and Eureka College April 8 at home.