Men’s Tennis Aims for Turnaround
After shaky start, Terriers hope they're on a winning streak
The Boston University men’s tennis team’s 7-0 sweep of Holy Cross offered a moment of vindication on Wednesday. It was the team’s second consecutive win, after beating LaFayette 4-0 on March 29. Team members, who have struggled through much of the season, are hoping they are on a winning streak as they prepare to take on Fairfield tomorrow, Saturday, April 4, in Connecticut.
The Terriers entered the season with high hopes, coming off a second place regular season finish last year, their inaugural season in the Patriot League, and reaching the conference semifinals. But the Terriers (4-6) have lost six of their last eight contests. Despite that, first-year head coach Dejan Stankovic remains confident about his team and upbeat about the remainder of the season.
“I know where we are at this point,” says Stankovic. “We’re a competitive team, and I’m going to continue moving us forward. I know we haven’t played the best as of late, but I really do believe in these guys. A few wins down the stretch could go a long way for us.”
This season marks Stankovic’s first full year helming the team. He took over as interim head coach in January 2014, after having served as assistant to women’s tennis head coach Leslie Sheehan for five years. The Terriers, who were selected fifth in last year’s Patriot League preseason poll, exceeded expectations under Stankovic. After the team’s second place regular season finish, Stankovic was appointed head coach last July.
As Sheehan’s assistant, Stankovic helped lead the Terrier women to four America East titles. He credits Sheehan, currently marking her 30th anniversary at BU, with imparting valuable lessons.
“I finally learned how to run team practices that are effective,” says Stankovic. “I think a lot of what I learned had to do with the scheduling, so that when we compete, we know who we’re playing and how to use our home court advantage. I could go on and on; she taught me so many things.”
Several players have offered critical support this season, among them Emilio Teran (ENG’15), who was honored during Wednesday’s Senior Day observance prior to the Terriers’ match against Holy Cross. Teran is the only senior on the team this season.
The Floridian captain has a 44-32 career record, and this year has claimed key wins against Sacred Heart, Lafayette, and UConn. His veteran leadership off the court, coupled with his fundamentals on the court, has earned admiration from teammates.
“He’s been great all year,” says fellow captain Stefan Lemire (Questrom’16). “He really loves helping all the younger guys, and just giving them advice every now and then. He may not be most athletic, but he does everything right. He’s been a great teammate ever since I got here.”
Helping Teran lead the way is Jay Leelavanich (CGS’15). Coming off a marvelous rookie campaign that included a team-leading 15 singles wins, Leelavanich has performed similarly this season, having already racked up 13 singles wins. He is looking more and more like he can lead the team deep into the postseason.
He’ll be looking for help from William Kwok (CAS’16), who transferred to BU this past fall. The Australian native went 8-3 last season as the number one singles player for Rollins College. Currently 3-4 in singles and 2-6 in doubles, Kwok could prove to be a team leader.
“One big thing that I’ve learned is how to recruit,” says Stankovic. “I got this future transfer kid, Will, who’s playing at the top of the team. I think that’s really going to help us. I think he can take us a long way.”
Despite their rocky start, the players remains optimistic that they can still capture the conference title.
“Last year we were seeded second in the regular season, and we lost in the semifinals in the tournament,” says Teran. “This year our goal is to win the conference and the Patriot League Championship. We’ve got all the tools we need—we just have to go out there and get the job done.”
The Boston University men’s tennis team takes on Fairfield University tomorrow, Saturday, April 4, at 11 a.m. at the Walsh Athletic Center Tennis Courts, 1073 N. Benson Rd., Fairfield, Conn. The Terriers will conclude their regular season with games against Merrimack College April 11 and the University of Connecticut April 12.
Emmanuel Gomez can be reached at mannygo@bu.edu.
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