Men's Tennis Gets Rematch With Stanford, Cal
April 17, 2000 | Men's Tennis
April 17, 2000
This Week -- The 19th-ranked USC men's tennis team (15-7, 5-2 Pac-10) finished the season third in the Pac-10 after defeating Washington, 4-3, and sweeping Oregon, 7-0, last week. Prior to competing at the Pac-10 championships, the Trojans will face Stanford (April 21) and Cal (April 22) for two non-counting Pac-10 matches at Marks Tennis Stadium this week.
USC vs. Stanford -- In their last meeting, Stanford defeated the Trojans, 5-2, in Palo Alto, bringing the all-time series record to 88-63, still in USC's favor. With wins last week over Arizona State, 5-2, and Arizona, 5-2, last week, Stanford clinched the 2000 Pac-10 title. The Cardinal owns a 20-0 overall record, and 7-0 mark in the Pac-10.
USC vs. California -- USC defeated Cal, 5-2, in Berkeley earlier this season, improving the Trojans' all-time record to 115-26. Since then, the Bears defeated Arizona State but fell to Arizona, both by 5-2 scores. With a likely sixth-place conference finish, Cal owns a 12-7 overall record and 2-5 Pac-10 mark.
The Trojans' Last Outing -- USC managed to hold off Washington for a 4-3 victory on Friday (April 14). The Trojans began the match with a loss at No. 1 doubles, but managed to get away with the point with wins at the No. 2 and 3 matches. The 1-0 advantage proved to be the defining mark for USC in the match after each team split singles victories at three apiece.
On Saturday (April 15), USC swept Oregon, 7-0, allowing the Ducks to claim only one win in doubles. In singles, Patrick Gottesleben and Andrew Park both earned come-from behind victories at the No. 1 and 2 positions. At No. 6, Parker Collins broke a six-match losing slump by defeating Jason Menke 6-2, 6-0 in the final singles match. To begin the match, USC garnered the doubles point with wins at the second and third courts.
Rainey and Moore Look For Revenge -- Through the month of March, Nicholas Rainey and Ryan Moore had lost only four matches. That is, until the duo faced Stanford on April 8. Since falling to Cardinal's Abrams and Kim, Rainey and Moore have lost three-straight - an uncommon streak for the fourth-ranked partners. Friday's upcoming rematch will be an opportunity for the pair to break the streak and seek revenge.
USC News & Notes -- Four of the Trojans' seven losses this season have come by 4-3 scores... Assistant Coach Glen Michibata has been named Princeton's head coach for the 2000-01 season... Daniel Langre and senior Patrick Gottesleben went undefeated in singles matches at the USTA/ITA Team Indoor Championships (Feb. 24-27)... The Trojans' are 1-5 against top-25 ranked opponents in 2000... After finishing the 1999 season ranked 17th, USC jumped six spots (11th) in the ITA fall rankings.
Head Coach Dick Leach -- Dick Leach enters his 21st season at the helm of the USC men's tennis program. In 20 years with the Trojans, he has amassed a 492-117 (.808) overall record and won three national championships (1991, 1993, 1994). His teams have garnered seven Pac-10 championships, for which Leach has been named conference coach of the year four times (1987, 1991, 1992, 1994). Last season, he guided USC to a 19-5 (.792) overall mark, third place finish in the Pac-10 (5-2), and second round appearance at the NCAAs.
Next Up -- The Trojans will compete at the Pac-10 Championships next week (April 27-29) in Ojai, Calif.
