April 26, 2023
Day 1: Warriors on Fire, Advance to Semis
By Francisco Claudio
It wasn't just the Arizona weather that was on fire on Tuesday morning, but so was the Westcliff men's tennis team who started their postseason journey.
The Warriors traveled to Surprise, Arizona to face off against the University of Saint Katherine in the Quarterfinals of the GSAC Tennis Tournament.
And the Warriors stayed as hot as the weather outside with a sweep, 4-0.
Head Coach Ross Duncan emphasized before the match that high energy and concentration would be crucial this week: "I want us to concentrate on having good team energy and setting the tone early that we're the team to beat and we're here to get the job done."
The Warriors were the loudest on the courts and it started with their pre-match battle cry that has become famous across Westfcliff's Athletic Department.
Their presence was surely felt by everyone taking part that morning.
First up were the doubles pairs who made quick work and got the first point that the Warriors needed.
Doubles No.1 Felix Veyhle/ Max Mueller continue to demonstrate impeccable chemistry and are always pushing each other to play better than the last point.
Veyhle/Mueller were on and off the court quickly, winning 6-1.
Doubles No. 2 Arthur Bellagy/ Zak Khalil followed right after with a 6-1 win of their own.
Then everyone shifted into singles mode and whoever would win two out of three sets.
Singles No. 5 Mueller brought intensity with every point that he won and even those that he lost.
Mueller will yell at himself when he makes an uncharacteristic mistake. He's someone whose passion can be felt as soon as the point starts and he hits the favored flat forehand crosscourt.
It's usually a strong flat serve followed by one or two forehands that put opponents away against Mueller.
Mueller won in straight sets 6-1, 6-2.
Then you have singles No. Loick Cherruy who got the bagel in both sets 6-0, 6-0.
Cherruy stands out from the rest and not just because of his height as one of the tallest players on the team, but because of his killer serve that instantly gives him the advantage over many.
Cherruy's serve is such a huge weapon that allows him to dictate points from the beginning, and put away opponents right away.
That's if he hasn't already won the point with an ace up the middle.
And then you had singles No. 2 Veyhle whose chill character outside of the court can be deceiving once the match starts.
Veyhle has a strong forehand but the backhand is where he shines as he hits it down the line, just barely clearing the net for a win.
Veyhle also won in straight sets 6-1, 6-0.
"Other teams are scared of us but it's a clean slate and if you lose now, you're out," said Duncan. "It was really good that we got an extra hour of practice and we made adjustments based on what we saw.
"The first match in new conditions can be tricky because you can practice all you want but it's still different from an actual match."
Singles No. 2 Veyhle shared his thoughts on his match: "I felt pretty good today, we came here yesterday and had a good practice and got used to the weather. We took care of business pretty quickly in doubles, also in singles everyone was really solid
"Just a solid good win and a good start in the first round."
Now the men will try to rest and recover because they will play Hope International on Wednesday in the semifinal.
"Consistency for everybody," said Veyhle. "For the semifinal, it's going to be a better opponent so we need to be careful and still take care of business, stay focused, and just get the job done."
On Wednesday the Westcliff women's tennis team will also start their campaign in this tournament as they play Westmont in their semifinals.
Both teams will play at the same time starting at 10 AM.