Temple’s men’s tennis team continues to struggle this season, with an 0-8 record after a recent match with the University of Delaware.
A team that is used to winning is currently trying to adjust to the view from the bottom.
“In retrospect of how we’re doing this year, we’re having a tough time,” head coach Bill Hoehne said. “We’ve had a lot of injuries this year, unfortunately.”
The team is with out its number-two, number-four and number-five players, making every match a difficult task. The biggest issue at hand for Temple is its lack of experience. As it stands, many of the players on the court for the Owls are freshmen.
However, Hoehne sees the youth on his squad as a good thing.
“We’re an exceptionally young team, and that’s a positive. And the nice thing is that these guys are getting a lot of playing experience and they probably wouldn’t if it weren’t for the injuries,” he said.
The playing experience will could payoff for next years’ squad, but there is still a season to be played now, with the Atlantic 10 Conference tournament looming nearby.
“We’re looking forward to the A-10’s and I think if we can get healthy by then, who knows, we could surprise a lot of teams because we’ve lost some matches to A-10 teams that were close but we weren’t fully equipped,” Hoehne said.
The best thing the Owls possess is their team spirit. On four courts side-by-side, the team plays together, cheering in between each others sets, showing no sign of defeat or any signs of quitting.
“The nice thing about this team is that the moral is still there. They cheer for each other, they really feel that they can still win,” Hoehne said.
If and when the Owls top players return healthy in time for the A-10 tournament, big upsets against top teams like Dayton and Duquesne could add to the momentum given by the younger players and their positive attitudes.
Saudia Mitchell can be reached at Saudrae@hotmail.com.
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