Men's Tennis Opens 2013 Fall Season At Baylor
9/19/2013 12:00:00 AM | Men's Tennis
SPOKANE, Wash. - If last year was about gaining valuable experience, then this fall season for the Gonzaga University men's tennis team is about showing the dividends of the work put in during the offseason.
Right out of the gate, the Bulldogs will have a number of opportunities to show their improvements with a rigorous fall schedule.
"The fall is all about getting in some quality matches to gear up for the spring," head coach Peter MacDonald explained. "Individually the guys will be challenged and how we battle will tell us a lot. More than anything this fall season helps us fine tune our play that will pay off next semester."
Gonzaga opens the fall with the Baylor HEB Intercollegiate in Waco, Texas.
"I expect a strong field at Baylor," MacDonald said. "There will be the potential to pick up quality wins. The caliber and depth of players in the draw is substantial. I would love to see our guys embrace the challenge and bring home some big wins."
Although just a few Zags will participate at Baylor, the remaining Bulldogs will be prepping for the Eastern Washington University's Fall Classic starting Sept. 27.
"Everyone will be competing at Eastern Washington," MacDonald said. "It is going to be a deeper tournament this year. The level of play will be better in the past years so we can expect to be challenged in Cheney."
While the squad wraps up in Cheney, MacDonald and junior Alvaro Nazal will embark on a GU program first. Nazal will compete at the 2013 Intercollegiate Tennis Association All-American Championships held in Tulsa, Okla., on Sept. 30.
"This is a big first to take someone to Tulsa," MacDonald said. "I told Alvaro last year that if he played like he was capable of then he would have this opportunity. With his preseason ranking, he should compete with the best tennis players in the country."
The Santiago, Chile, native appeared in the ITA preseason rankings with a national position of 99th. His inclusion in the rankings also marks a first for the improving program.
Gonzaga will wrap up the fall at the annual ITA Northwest Regionals held in Moraga, Calif., Oct. 18-20.
With such a tough onslaught during the fall, MacDonald knows he will need to rely on his upperclassmen (Muzeen Ismath, Pablo Mosquera Pérez and Jack Schoebel) and new assistant coach Randall Knox to battle through any adversity.
"No doubt that our senior leadership will play an important role," MacDonald said. "These guys have been in the program for some time and understand what it will take. I am very fortunate to have them help guide our younger players."
"Having Randall on board has also been a blessing. He has been around the game for his entire life and can work with a player at any level. I have total trust in him. He is a great teacher and his help has had an immediate impact. I love his addition and he has taken to Gonzaga very well."
With the challenges beginning Friday, MacDonald cannot wait to get started.
"The fall is a fun season," MacDonald said. "We get to see a lot of individual growth and we will face some elite talent this year. I am very optimistic and ready to get going."
