The Mississippi State University men’s tennis team is gearing up to play its final two home matches of the 2010 season this weekend, needing wins in both to make a strong case for a bid in the NCAA Tournament next month.
The Bulldogs will close out the home schedule against the state of Alabama, with the Crimson Tide this afternoon at 3 p.m. and the Auburn Tigers on Sunday at 1 p.m.
With so much riding on this weekend, MSU head coach Per Nilsson said any advantage his squad could get with the home court has a chance of determining the outcome of not only the matches but also the season.
“[The crowd] really does affect the match,” he said. “You can put pressure on the other team. It’s great to have a crowd behind you, just like any other college sport. There are two teams coming in here that are close to us and it could be a huge advantage to have the crowd here.”
Alabama is currently ranked 33rd in the nation, while Auburn is ranked 45th. A win against both teams would catapult 47th-ranked State into contention for an NCAA berth.
MSU’s lone senior, Chris Doerr, from London, England, said a tournament appearance would be an exciting way to close out his college tennis career.
“I’ve never actually been to a postseason before, so it would be nice to get there,” he said. “Our team is definitely good enough. We’ve had chances against big teams. It’s the difference between having the potential and making it happen. The team is young, two juniors, one senior on a 10-man team. We’re just learning and hopefully they’ve learned this year that we can make it and be a pretty dangerous team.”
Doerr said his family will be in attendance for his final home matches and his senior day presentation on Sunday.
“I’m just looking forward to playing matches in front of my family,” he said. “They haven’t seen me play in about four years.”
Also, he said he relishes the chance to play one last time on a charged home court.
“It’s great playing in front of a loaded crowd,” he said. “The opponents don’t like it, which obviously helps us, and if we’re feeling down, the crowd can pick us up. They get to heckle just like in a football game or basketball game and make noise. It’s not [formal] tennis like Wimbledon. And I love that.”
A 6’6″ sophomore, George Coupland said with the team’s schedule and the strength of the conference, two more wins against the Alabama SEC schools will likely put the Bulldog netters into the tournament.
“[In the SEC] every match is a battle,” he said. “I definitely think that the highest-ranking teams and players in the nation are here. I mean, we’ve got four top 10 teams in our conference. And like I said, every match is a battle so they’re not winning matches easily.”
Coupland also said a raucous crowd could be a key to victory.
“[A big crowd] is so important,” he said. “Players, myself and others, feed off the crowd. It makes you so much more confident to hear people cheering you on, clamoring for a good shot and making noise.”
Nilsson and assistant coach Matt Hill have come up with a way to ensure a big turnout for the final two matches, which will not only help the team, but also possibly set a new record attendance for a match.
Hill said they are combining the natural support of the netters with sororities and their philanthropies. The promotion is called “Crowd the Courts,” and Hill said a cash award which the team has collected over the last year will go to the charity of the sorority that brings in the most fans over the two days of matches.
Nilsson said the atmosphere created by a big crowd of students is what makes college tennis unique.
“Everybody here is used to it being loud, and if you have a thousand people here, it could get super loud,” he said. “To be honest, with pro tennis you have to sit and be quiet. College tennis is a whole different animal, and it’s very fun and exciting.”
Cutline: Senior Chris Doerr, left, sets himself up to return a serve in one of his matches with the University of Memphis Tigers in late February of this semester.
Sophomore George Coupland, right, stands 6’6″ tall as he returns a volley to the other side in a singles match against the Memphis Tigers in February.