Troy University Athletics
Wait is Over, Action Starts Saturday
5/14/2010 8:00:00 PM | Tennis
GAINESVILLE, Fla. - All the jubilation and excitement that went into awaiting and preparing for an opponent in the first round of the NCAA Tournament two weeks ago is over. The preparation for the opening round ceased on Friday afternoon, and now the Troy University men's tennis team focuses on what is ahead.
Troy (20-4), the third seed in the Gainesville Region, is set to take on second-seeded Auburn (11-12) on Saturday morning at 9 am (EST) from the Ring Tennis Complex, on the campus of the University of Florida. The winner of that match will face the winner of Florida and South Carolina State Sunday, with a berth to the Round of 16 on the line.
“The preparation is over,” Troy coach Eric Hayes told his team on Friday morning. “When we came into the complex this morning, the atmosphere was totally different than it was on Thursday. The music was playing with the women getting ready to start, and the attitude of everyone there had changed. You could tell the tournament was starting.”
But the Trojans are not focused on the Sunday match, they are focused on getting there and in order to do that they have to go through a team they lost to earlier in the season.
Back on February 10, the Trojans dropped a 5-2 decision to Auburn in an indoor match that saw victories at four and five that day. However, on that day, many of the Trojans were not in their normal playing positions and the Tigers were missing their number two player which means there cannot be a lot taken from that match.
The match came two days after a loss to Ole Miss and was the second of three losses in the month of February for Troy. Since the Auburn loss, the Trojans have lost just twice and have been played close just three other times.
“In the matches we lost or have been close we just lose our focus,” Hayes said. “We can't afford to lose our focus against Auburn or anyone else. We just have to manage what we do. As a team we can't manage who we play in front of or who doesn't show up, we just have to focus on the task at hand. That task on Saturday morning is Auburn.”
Although Auburn comes in with a below-.500 record, they have been a quality team all season. They play in the tough SEC, which has numerous teams in the tournament, and they are powered by two players who are in the NCAA individual singles and doubles championships later this month.
The Trojans will be putting a four-match winning streak on the line when they hit the courts on Saturday morning. Earlier this season, they won 11 matches to get to this point of the season.
“Auburn is a very good team,” Hayes said. “We are going to have our hands full when we play them on Saturday. At this point in the season, rankings don't mean anything. Everyone is put on the court to play, and you just have to go out there and perform.”
Auburn and Troy hit the courts as the first match of the day Saturday morning at the Ring Tennis Complex. Follow all the action by clicking on the link above.
Troy (20-4), the third seed in the Gainesville Region, is set to take on second-seeded Auburn (11-12) on Saturday morning at 9 am (EST) from the Ring Tennis Complex, on the campus of the University of Florida. The winner of that match will face the winner of Florida and South Carolina State Sunday, with a berth to the Round of 16 on the line.
“The preparation is over,” Troy coach Eric Hayes told his team on Friday morning. “When we came into the complex this morning, the atmosphere was totally different than it was on Thursday. The music was playing with the women getting ready to start, and the attitude of everyone there had changed. You could tell the tournament was starting.”
But the Trojans are not focused on the Sunday match, they are focused on getting there and in order to do that they have to go through a team they lost to earlier in the season.
Back on February 10, the Trojans dropped a 5-2 decision to Auburn in an indoor match that saw victories at four and five that day. However, on that day, many of the Trojans were not in their normal playing positions and the Tigers were missing their number two player which means there cannot be a lot taken from that match.
The match came two days after a loss to Ole Miss and was the second of three losses in the month of February for Troy. Since the Auburn loss, the Trojans have lost just twice and have been played close just three other times.
“In the matches we lost or have been close we just lose our focus,” Hayes said. “We can't afford to lose our focus against Auburn or anyone else. We just have to manage what we do. As a team we can't manage who we play in front of or who doesn't show up, we just have to focus on the task at hand. That task on Saturday morning is Auburn.”
Although Auburn comes in with a below-.500 record, they have been a quality team all season. They play in the tough SEC, which has numerous teams in the tournament, and they are powered by two players who are in the NCAA individual singles and doubles championships later this month.
The Trojans will be putting a four-match winning streak on the line when they hit the courts on Saturday morning. Earlier this season, they won 11 matches to get to this point of the season.
“Auburn is a very good team,” Hayes said. “We are going to have our hands full when we play them on Saturday. At this point in the season, rankings don't mean anything. Everyone is put on the court to play, and you just have to go out there and perform.”
Auburn and Troy hit the courts as the first match of the day Saturday morning at the Ring Tennis Complex. Follow all the action by clicking on the link above.
Player Postgame Press Conference (Luke Hodge, Tray Taylor) - No. 8 Clemson
Sunday, September 07
Gerad Parker Postgame Press Conference - No. 8 Clemson
Sunday, September 07
Troy at No. 8 Clemson (Full Highlights)
Sunday, September 07
Josh Lauer Postgame Press Conference - Jackson State
Saturday, September 06