2009 Wrap Up: Vaqueros Continue to Improve
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Vaqueros continue to build program
Under the guidance of Don Lowry, the SBCC men's tennis team has improved its victory total for four straight years. The Vaqueros went 8-4 this year, taking third in the Western State Conference with a 6-4 mark. They could have finished second, if they hadn't suffered a pair of heartbreaking 5-4 losses to fourth-ranked Glendale, the WSC runner-up.
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Coach: Don Lowry (4th year, 23-19)
Records: 8-4, 6-4 WSC (3rd place)
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Sweeney reaches Round of 32 at Ojai and SoCal Regional
SBCC won its last three matches, including a pair of 7-1 nonconference wins at Grossmont and Saddleback, and four of its last five. The other two losses this year were to Ventura, the unbeaten WSC champion and defending state champ.
Freshman Ryan Sweeney, the No. 1 player from Bethesa, Maryland, reached the Round of 32 at the prestigious Ojai Invitational and the Southern Cal Regional at Long Beach City College. In the latter event, he won a three-hour marathon 6-4, 3-6, 7-5 and only had a 20-minute break before facing No. 4-seed Daniel Coehlo of Riverside. Sweeney lost that match 7-6, 6-3.
Elliot Markowitz, a former Santa Barbara High star, was the only sophomore in the starting lineup. He also got to the Round of 32 in doubles with Sweeney at Ojai and in the SoCal Regional. Zack Scott-Alex Zazove lost in the first round of the regional.
Antonio Rodrigues of Brazil had the best WSC singles record at 6-2 and Markowitz was 6-3.
Lowry said the team and schedule will be better in 2010.
"We're bringing four teams that were in the Southern Cal playoffs to our place next year (Orange Coast, Cypress, Riverside and Mt. San Jacinto)," he noted. "That will really help our scheduling.
"We've got almost everybody back and I think we'll be even better next year."
2009 WSC STANDINGS
WSC
SEASON
Ventura
10-0
15-1
Glendale
8-2
12-6
SBCC
6-4
8-4
Bakersfield
3-7
6-8
Pierce
4-10
3-7
Allan Hancock
0-10
1-12
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2009 SBCC MEN'S TENNIS WRAPUP
By Dave Loveton, SBCC sports information
