Update: Alumni Weekend '09

As I begin to prepare for the week ahead and a challenging stretch of matches, I could not be more proud to be a part of the Hellhen tennis program. On Saturday, March 7, in addition to playing regional opponent Hardin-Simmons, we hosted our second alumni weekend. This year's event set the bar extraordinarily high for years to come. Thank you to everyone who participated in the event, and a special thanks to JR Hall, who took the reins and made this happen. As a coach, I spend quite a bit of time preaching about what is truly important with regards to the bigger picture, but to have such a vivid display this weekend really drove home the point. There is little question as to why I do what I do, and it is because of opportunities like this past weekend.

I was already anticipating this weekend's match-up with Hardin-Simmons, having had such a close match with them indoors in Texas in '07. With about 12 alums in the house, the atmosphere was electric. In doubles, we jumped out to early leads in all three matches. The HSU Cowboys quickly responded, coming back from 1-4 at two and three doubles. Sophomore Drew Cohn and freshman Alex Groth responded well, closing the door and winning 8-6 to get us on the board. At one doubles, senior Cam Taylor and freshman Uday Singh played solidly enough to hold off their opponents, 8-5. At two doubles, after jumping out to an early lead, momentum shifted away from us and we weren't able to steal it back, succumbing, 9-7.

Leading 2-1 after the doubles, and missing freshman #1 Tommy Meyer, the Hell Hens responded well jumping out to early leads at 2, 3, 4, and 5 singles. At 1 singles, Cam did his best to stay in the first set getting down 5-2 before storming back and taking the first set 7-6 (1). At 6 singles, freshman Ramsey Bernard got off to a slow start before waking up down 5-1. At that point Bernard locked down on his opponent, took the first set 7-5, and rolled in the next set, 6-2. Sophomore Nick Tagliarino made short work of his opponent and rolled to a 6--0, 6-0 win at 2 singles. Freshman Alex Groth took it to his guy 1 and 4, while junior Grant Friedman was a 6-3, 6-3 winner at 5 singles. At the 3 spot, freshman Uday Singh rolled to a 3 and 2 win. It wasn't a surprise that Cam was the last match on, but he rolled to a 6-2 second set after taking the first in a tiebreaker. The 8-1 win brings our record to 3-4 overall and 3-3 in D-III.

After a spectacular taco lunch, the alums took to the court, confident in mind if not body. It was an incredible feeling to see the current group battling it out against the "Legends." Unfortunately for the Legends, the highlights were few and far between. '07 doubles all-Americans Jeff Jablonski and Neil Patel were able to eek out a tiebreak win over Cam and Uday at one doubles, and Chris Croxton '03 was victorious in doubles with Drew Olian '08 and in singles over Ramsey. Despite a broken hand and a doubles partner who routinely landed service returns onto 6th street, Croxton showed a glimpse of his Sagehen past. In other matches, Samir Vora '03 wasn't able to match body with heart, falling to Ben Weinstein. In one of the more competitive matches of the afternoon, Erin Noble '07 battled to a tiebreak with Nick Tag before losing. Noble has promised a rematch and is currently putting together his training regimen of hiking in the woods and avoiding hitting tennis balls. JR Hall '04 jumped out to an early lead before fatigue and a focused frosh in Sam Strassman took their toll. Hall was able to hold on and close out the match. JB Wogan '06 was the other alumni winner, giving the Legends a total of 5 match wins; not enough to match the current squad's 10 wins.

Heading in to our spring break, and the toughest stretch of our schedule, Saturday provided us with a fresh dose of confidence and the backing of an incredible support network. Thank you everyone who helped make this past weekend possible, and thank you all for the hard work you have put in and continue to put in. Your commitment to this program and this journey to a National Championship inspires me every day.

2009 Season Begins

After months of anticipation, the 2009 tennis season has begun. Without wasting any time, we started our season off against the #13 ranked team in the country and a SCIAC opponent in Redlands. It's always a challenge to take on Redlands, especially early in the season when we're just getting our bearings. At the same time, it proved a perfect opportunity to gauge ourselves and see where we need to improve. As if a nationally-ranked opponent isn't challenge enough for one day, we were also scheduled to drive out to UC Riverside to take on D-I University of Navada in the afternoon.

The Redlands match began very much in the Bulldog's favor, as they jumped out to early leads in all three doubles matches. We looked tight and jittery early on, which, with three freshmen in the doubles lineup isn't much of a suprise. We lost 8-1 at number two doubles as sophomore Nick Tagliarino and freshman Alex Groth struggled to get comfortable in the match. Senior Cam Taylor and Freshman Tommy Meyer began to dig their claws into the match, coming back from down 4-1, but they weren't able to take control of the momentum and lost 8-4. At three doubles, after a slow start, junior Grant Friedman and frosh Uday Singh stormed back to get on serve at 6-7. Following a series of deuces, Uday and Grant eventually succumbed and fell 8-6. It's clear that we still have quite a bit of work to do in doubles, but we have all of the tools to succeed at the highest levels.


Things started off much better in singles, as Tommy Meyer (2 singles) and Nick Tag (3 singles) each captured their first sets without much struggle. Cam Taylor (1 singles) led 5-2 before pulling out a 7-6 (7-5) first set tiebreaker. At 4 singles, Alex Groth battled but fell 7-5, 6-1 to a guy who played one singles for Redlands in 2008. Sophomore Alden Williford played intelligently, but wasn't able to pull out the win at five singles. At six, Grant Friedman battled back to win the second set at 6-2 after losing the first set 6-4, but wasn't able to pull out the win, falling 6-2 in the third. After capturing the first set, Nick Tag never looked back and bageled his opponent in the second set for the win. Tommy Meyer rolled in the second set, cruising to a 6-2, 6-3 win at two. At one singles, after losing the second set, Cam Taylor pulled out a gutsy third set match tiebreaker, 12-10.

With little time to waste, we hopped into a van and headed out to UC Riverside to take on D-I University of Nevada. It was a great chance for freshmen Uday Singh and Ramsey Bernard to get some experience at 5 and 6 singles respectively.

Because we were playing on a D-I site, we played with their rules. Mainly, this meant that we were using the 7-point scoring system (1 pt for doubles), and that lets are played. We started the match playing singles first. Unfortunately, Nick Tag had to retire after the first set because of a strained quad, but overall results were impressive, especially considering that it was the first day of the season and the second leg of a back-to-back. After losing the first set, 6-0, Tommy Meyer captured the second 6-3 and jumped out to an 8-3 super-t lead before falling 12-10 at 2 singles. At 5 singles, Uday was on serve until the final game of the first set and fell 6-4, 6-2 displaying flashes of the big game we all know he has. At six, Ramsey Bernard fought hard and played intelligently before losing 6-1, 6-3. When he took control of points, he was able to break his opponent down with his forehand. At 4 singles, Alex Groth displayed his huge serve and forehand, keeping his opponent on his heels and applying an impressive amount of pressure for a freshman in only his second collegiate match. While we weren't able to get on the scoreboard in this match, we were able to prove to ourselves that we can play with absolutely anyone and the experience leaves us hungry to improve for this season.

I am not interested in putting together a weak schedule and propping up our win/loss record. I am more interested in challenging our guys to improve every day, and to view themselves as champions. By starting the season against the #13 ranked D-III team in the country and a D-I opponent, I want our guys comfortable being uncomfortable. We will not be intimidated by any opponent, nor will we look for excuses. We do not seek to define ourselves by the strength or weaknesses of our opponents. Our resolve is internal and our struggle is noble. We have no interest in a false sense of accomplishment, and these tests and challenges early in the season will help us as the season progresses.

Overall, while we have a lot of work ahead of us, we were competitive and fought hard from beginning to end. As we grow more comfortable on the court and improve in doubles, we will have the opportunities to beat anyone in the country. Our journey began successfully today.

On the Value of Teamwork

Hey Guys,

I've been composing this correspondence in my head for the past week or so. Every night as I'm heading home from work, these thoughts bombard my head and beckon to be let out of their cage. Well, here it is, now that I'm hopped up on enough caffeine that I can't keep thoughts of a National Championship out of my mind.

These are the unspoken elements of championship teams. These are the qualities that separate the champions from the merely talented. These qualities are what keep outsiders scratching their heads as to why some teams always "have it" and others can never seem to figure "it" out.

I have an incredibly clear idea as to how we will compete and win a national championship. Every year, my resolution grows firmer, and my belief stronger. These elements must be in place for such a thing to be possible.

Belief. There are so many people out there, for one reason or another, that seek to limit the dreams of others. The bottom line is that if you do not believe that such a thing is possible, it simply is not. I am not advocating delusion. Far from it. I work every single day of my life to make such a thing possible, and believe with every fiber of my being, that such a thing is possible. I am aware of what it takes, and am willing to go to the ends of the earth. In short, I believe. More importantly, you must believe. You must believe every day that you are out there. This is how we get better every day, working towards a goal...to make this reality. Our belief is all that matters. We're in the middle of it and nobody knows what we're capable of like we do, and we believe. We are not struck down by roadblocks, we are merely emboldened.

Teamwork. This cannot happen alone. Just as I rely upon you to do the work, buy in, take ownership of these things, and continue to improve, you must do the same with each other. As we move forward into the season, you will struggle and you will break through. You will have good days and not-so-good days. You will have days when everything comes easy, and others when the simplest thing is a struggle. Mediocre teams have more bad days than good, and are at the whim of their emotions. They are pulled down by those who struggle and the entire team suffers. Good teams, and those with potential, are inconsistent. They never seem to get on the same page. One guy struggles, while another has the day or match of his life. They cannot seem to put it all together at the same time, and wait for the magical time when it all just "clicks." It never does, and they're left thinking about what could have been. Great teams know that their success lies not just in bringing their best every day, even when they don't feel their best, it means their teammates must do the same. When everyone goes out of their way to be their best, the collective level rises together. We've talked about this level in practice, but in order to be great we must OWN this level, day in and day out. This is committing to being better. I've mentioned that this is a choice, and it is. What are you doing right now? It is not about doing your best, or working hard when you feel like it, or motivation strikes. IT IS ABOUT CULTIVATING MOTIVATION, AND MAKING THE TIME. You will never regret making time to push yourself, mentally, emotionally, or physically. Know that you are not alone. Show that you are not alone. Work together. Bring people together. Take a chance and lead. Do not wait to be led. If everyone waited, we would not move. We all have a lot going on. We're all under stress. We all have deadlines, and could use more sleep. WE ARE IN THIS TOGETHER. THIS IS WHAT MAKES US STRONG. Tennis is no different. It is about managing stressful situations with calm and dignity. It is about being your best under less than ideal circumstances. That is greatness. The willingness to take on challenges, to rise to the occasion. Look at our schedule. Do not be overwhelmed. See challenges everywhere you look, and salivate. The opportunity for greatness presents itself on a daily basis. Greatness is no accident; it is cultivated with care, understanding, and with teamwork.

I alone cannot win a National Championship, but we can. Do we have the talent? Yes. Do we have the foundation? Yes. Do we have the courage to believe, and the dedication to put in the work when others would not? That's not up to me...

Looking around at all of the elite teams in this country, you can say this about them all: They __________ better/more/harder than anyone else in the country. What do we do?

I love you guys, and am climbing up the walls in anticipation of this season.

Sincerely,
Ben

On the Subject of Expectations

Expectations, Loving the Struggle, Results vs. Processes, and Goal-setting

This discussion regarding expectations, process vs. result-oriented thinking, and goal-setting will impact you far more than anything you will do or have done on the tennis court. This is the foundation for your approach in tennis, as well as everything that you will do in your life. If you think that I am being obtuse or grandiose, I am not. I approach this from a position of experience, both personal and shared. I approach this with you not because I want to force-feed this down your throat. I am not here to MAKE you do anything. This is all about choice and control. Choosing the path you wish to take. Controlling that which is within yours to control, and letting the rest go.

Expectations
My only real expectation (the only thing I can guarantee) is that you will fail…on some level. You will lose. You will fail to live up to your own unfair expectations. You will miss shots that you should have made. These failures are guaranteed and essential. These are the building blocks to success and appreciation. Aside from that, you will learn from these failures and ultimately embrace them. You will become stronger, and they will lead to success. You will win matches, hit great shots that you didn’t have before. You will learn to understand the value of and love the struggle.

The Struggle
This is the line that we as athletes embrace. It is the moment where we can win or lose. Ultimately this is why we play. If the outcome were predetermined, competitiion would be pointless. We pursue moments that have the potential to define us as champions. We put ourselves on the line so that we become comfortable being uncomfortable. We are tightrope walkers and we love that if we lose focus, if we allow our minds to drift, think forward or backward, we will fall. That moment where it can go either way and there’s a limited amount within our control. We can trust ourselves and the work we’ve put into pursuing this moment. We can trust our training and embrace fear and go for what we want without regards for failure, knowing that failure is there to make us better. We can choose to run towards winning and not away from losing. The struggle is something that takes place in our bodies, our minds, and our emotions. It is the decision to get up when we’re tired and run the extra mile. The decision to take a new approach when the old is yielding the same results. It is the choice we make when we are tired of allowing our frustration to control our outcomes. Whether it is 6:30 am or ten at night, the struggle is the same. Whether you are surrounded by teammates, a crowd, or on your own the struggle is the same. IF YOU DREAD WHAT YOU DO YOU WILL NOT DO IT WELL. IF YOU LOVE IT YOU WILL OWN IT; appreciate it. If you love to win, you will pursue victory. If winning means learning from your losses, you will learn to appreciate losing. If pushing yourself mentally, emotionally, and physically means you will be stronger, smarter, faster…better, you will learn to appreciate and love pushing yourself. The Struggle is any time that you can choose to pursue the hard way rather than the easy way. And you will love The Struggle.

Results
What are results, but reflections of the process (es) that preceded? They (results) can be deceptive and you may have limited control over them, but there is always much to learn. You never want to overlook results. If you were consistently losing to players of a certain level, it would be foolish to continue to consider yourself their equal or superior. They are better until the results prove otherwise. At the same time, situations may dictate results. As a coach, I can put you up against a player better than you and you will lose. I can do the same with someone far worse and you will win. Winning is not a reflection of you, nor is losing. It is not your identity. If results are a part of your identity, you will suffer and you will struggle. Instead, focus on the process. These things are far more valuable and telling, and you have greater control of this. Look critically at your results. Analyze what worked, what didn’t. Take into account the details between the lines, but don’t dismiss results all together. There is valuable information that you can incorporate into your training (process). You are constantly being provided feedback. The choice to listen is yours, as is the choice to disregard. This is an important part of learning and improving. Study your results with a critical eye and see how you can improve the process in order to achieve the results you seek. How have you been practicing? Have you been pushing yourself and your game to the next level? Are you getting stronger? Are you using your time to the best of your ability? When faced with a challenge, do you embrace it? When faced with the easy way and the hard way, which do you take? Are you obsessed with winning, yet consistently find yourself on the wrong end of matches? Is this approach working? The process is simply the “how” you got to be where you are in this moment.

Goal-Setting
What do you want? Are your goals attainable? How much of your goals are within your control? It is so important when setting goals to be aware of what is and what is not in your control so that you don’t follow the wrong path or get knocked off the right path when things don’t go according to plan. Once you’ve set your goal (the mountain top), make sure that you clear a path. These are smaller, more attainable goals that will help move you in the ultimate direction of your goal. In order to compete for a national championship we must establish a foundation of trust, commitment, hard work, and love. Once established, we have to learn to focus not on results, but the process of moving towards our goal. We must remember, and remind ourselves constantly to stay on the path, and to continue to improve our foundation. This is our culture, and it reflects our goal(s) and the people working towards them. We have to continue to get better as people and players; to never stagnate; to never accept the status quo. We have to bring in better and better players that will enhance our program on many levels, and work towards and share in our goal. We must look within when our results don’t match our ambitions. What can we do better? These are all smaller goals that point us towards the larger one. What are your goals? They may change as you change, or as you become more aware. There is nothing wrong with change. Be prepared for change. Don’t get caught up in expectations. Don’t allow rigidity to define you. Seek flexibility and happiness.

I know this will be a great year. I will do everything in my power to make it so. I understand that there will be anger, frustration, disappointment, heartbreak, and loss during this journey. I am not naïve. I am not unrealistic. This will be our program's finest year. I will learn a ton. You will learn a ton. We will develop. We will struggle, but we will love the struggle. This isn’t about making outrageous or bold claims of victory. Those serve no purpose other than to set us up for disappointment. We always want to win, and we will work hard every day to achieve that result. Our only disappointment comes when we fail to find value in every moment; when we see winning as the only value. We pursue victory out of love, not fear.

Living in the Moment
Down 2 sets to 1, and 5-6 in the fourth set breaker in the finals of Wimbledon, Roger Federer was faced with a choice. Miss and you lose. Make it, you still might lose. Go for it, accept that you may miss or lose, but do it on your own terms. Nadal rips an approach out wide to Federer’s backhand. Nadal closes hard as Federer tracks the ball. Without a second’s hesitation or doubt, of which there is ample reason (see Federer’s ’08 season and record against Nadal), Federer uncorks a backhand pass up the line for a winner. There was no moment to think. No moment to explore the consequences. A;; that existed in that moment was a split-second impulse, the result of years of training, hundreds of missed shots and an unflappable belief in self.

The 2008 Season Recap

May 23 and I've just now been presented with the opportunity to post our 2008 season recap. Not too bad for a year that some might have considered a "rebuilding" year. True, we graduated 5 of our top 6 players from last year, and true, the 5 that we graduated were incredibly valuable members of this program. They did perhaps more for this program than any one class before them. At the same time, JR and I had the feeling that the 2008 season would be an incredible one, and we weren't particularly frightened by the prospect of bringing in such a large crop of freshmen. True to form, this team improved at a remarkable pace, and continued to improve as the season drew to a close. The phrase that was repeated most often this season was, "get better every day." Each member of the 2008 Hellhens took that to heart, and our culture and foundation has been enriched.

Well, I've recently returned from Lewiston, Maine, the site of the 2008 Division III National Championships at Bates College. This was also the site of the 2004 Championships. It was great to return to the site of my first experience at nationals. This year, junior Cam Taylor represented Pomona-Pitzer as a singles participant. I arrived early to the tournament to serve on the NCAA Committee, so I was there to watch the team tournament as well. The 8 teams that advanced out of their respective regionals converged on Maine for a three day tournament to decide the team national champion. It always serves as fuel for the fire to see these teams compete, and I end this season even more motivated to prepare our program to compete in this environment.

For the singles tournament, the top 8 players from each region, 32 in all make up the draw. The top two players in each region are seeded, and the rest are randomly selected to fill out the rest of the draw. Cam entered the tournament as the number 8 player out of the West, and was not ranked in the top 50 in the country. As this tournament drew to a close, Cam was one of only two players in the region to advance out of the first round, and in currently ranked in the top 16 in the nation in singles. This is quite impressive considering that he has only played in 6 tourmanents in his life (3 Ojai's and 1 nationals).

In the first round, Cam drew the number one player from Depauw, Kortney Keith. Battling it out on court number 1, Cam got down 0-4 in the first set before calming down and rallying back. He lost the first set in a breaker despite having chances, but took control of the second set and won it 6-3. It looked as though he might cruise in the third set, but Keith made some adjustments and began to attack the net at every opportunity, pressuring Cam and taking away his rhythm. Both players struggled to hold serve as the score see-sawed back and forth. Returning down 5-4, Cam broke Kortney and then took a 6-5 lead. Serving at 6-5 in the third, Cam was broken to send the match into a decisive third set breaker. It wasn't a pretty match, and the final breaker was a fair enough representation of the entire match. Toward the end of the third set, Keith began to cramp, but Cam was unable to take advantage as his opponent's attacking strategy shortened the points. Up 6-3 in the breaker, Cam double faulted twice to put the breaker back on serve at 6-5. In a sad but fitting end to the match, Keith double-faulted on match point to hand Cam the win, a trip to the round of 16, and All-American status.

In the second round later that day, Cam faced the #14 ranked player in the country, Chris Fletcher of Methodist University. Cam came out loose and was able to absorb and neutralize the big groundies of Fletcher. This match provided glimpses of Cam Taylor 4.0, as he was moving well and striking an even heavier and better ball. It wasn't until he was on serve 3-4 that he began to feel some of the effects of the three and a half hour match earlier in the day. Serving, he began to feel some initial cramping in his legs. More than anything, it affected his concentration and he was broken and lost the first set 6-3. In the second set he wasn't able to find the loose strokes of the first, and lost 6-2.

This is the first time since 2004 that a Hellhen has advanced out of the first round at nationals, and the first time since 2003 that non-senior has qualified for the tournament. It's easy to say that it was an incredible season for Cam, but in reality he merely represents our team. One of the best characteristics of this years squad was that the identity of this team was collective, rather than relying on a few stellar players. It's alway wonderful when one player excels, but he merely serves to represent the rest of his teammates, because without them, nothing would be possible. Looking forward to 2009 and beyond, the Hellhen Tennis Program has never been in better shape. The contributions of departing seniors Michael's Powell and Carlson, Blake Phillips, and Drew Olian will be felt for quite some time. Their leadership and compassion have set the bar for those that follow in their footsteps. I look forward to having them join our growing family of alumni.

I would also like to welcome some new Hellhens into the family. Alex Groth, Ramsey Bernard, Uday Singh, and Tommy Meyer. Welcome. We look forward to having you on campus in the fall.

Sincerely,
Ben

Ojai

We've just returned from the 108th Ojai tournament this past weekend. For those not familiar with the Ojai tournament, it's one of the oldest and largest individual tournaments in the country (www.ojaitourney.org). We haven't been particularly successful in the past few years, as many of our guys have struggled in non-dual matches. This year was quite different, and a sign of things to come. JR and I have known that this year was special from the beginning, and this tournament only further exemplified this. I've mentioned before that we graduated 5 of our top 6 guys from last year. There were probably some who felt that this would be a rebuilding year. After all,it took us 3 years to develop into a good team last year, and our recruiting class, while strong, wasn't expected to hold a candle to that of schools like CMS. Well, we again made it to the conference semifinals this season, avenging last years tournament lost to Occidental. We took the toughest road possible this year both with our overall schedule (I defy anyone to find a tougher schedule), and our SCIAC tournament road (Oxy, CMS, Cal Lu). Junior Cam Taylor continues to amaze, as does a youth movement anchored by freshmen, Nick Tag and John Williford, and sophomore Grant Friedman. Thanks to incredible (and I don't use that word lightly) leadership from our seniors (Drew Olian, Blake Phillips, Michael Powell and Carlson) and Taylor, the development and chemistry this year has been unparalleled.

So, heading into Ojai, this group looked to break the curse of the past few seasons, yet did so with zero expectations and a commitment to appreciating the opportunity. We had five guys in the singles draw of Division III, and three in the Independent (NAIA and division III players) draw. In doubles, we had three teams in the D-III draw and one team in the independent. Last year, we only had one player (Cam) advance to the second round before we were sent home after the first day. This year was quite different. Cam started us off with a 6-1, 6-0 win over Chapman's Leland Buttle. Nick Tag followed that up with a 7-6 (4), 6-1 win over Linfield's Wes Gabrielson. On the independent side, Blake Phillips won his first round in three. Tag fell to Max Liberty-Point in the second round, 6 and 1 but left the tourney hungry to improve his results for next year. Cam took on Mario Backes of La Verne in the next round and won 6-0, 6-1, securing a spot on Saturday at Thatcher school.

In doubles, Michael Powell and John Williford got on the board in the independent draw. On the D-III, Nick Tag and Drew Cohn advanced to the second round with an 8-5 win over the team from Puget Sound. Cam and Drew Olian won their first round 8-5 over the three team from Cal Lu. We didn't have as much luck in the second round of doubles as both teams fell.

Cam's round of 16 opponent was 2007 NCAA singles semifinalist and six seed Brian Pybas. Cam jumped out to an early lead behind the strong vocal support from his teammates, and took the first set 6-4, prompting Pybas to shatter a racquet and incur a point penalty to start off the second set. In the second, Cam continued to look strong and dictate from the baseline, and a demoralized and struggling Pybas couldn't get a foothold in the match. At break point, 4-1, Pybas hit a second serve wide to go to 5-1. When he questioned the call, he used a verbal obscenity which resulted in his second penalty, thus securing the 6-4, 6-1 win for Cam.

In the quarters, Cam took on UCSC's Jeff Fong, his second Slug lefty of the day. As it reached midday, the sun beat down on the court, providing little if no shade, and it certainly affected both players. Cam proved more solid, dominating Fong, 6-3, 6-0 for a trip to the semi-finals against Redlands number one Matt Leibman.

Moving to historic Libby park for the semi's, Cam laced it up at 9 am against Leibman, with Cam pulling out the early break and going up 2-0. While Cam was able to get out to a 5-2 lead in the first, Leibman battled back to take the first set to a breaker. In the breaker, Cam stole back the momentum and the first set. In the second set, Cam jumped out to a 3-0 before he started to cramp. He was able to gut it out and double flip to go up 5-0 and take a medical timeout. Serving 5-0, Cam jumped out to a 30-0 lead before Leibman battled back for the break. Up 5-1, Cam took advantage of a couple uncharacteristic Leibman mistakes and then pulled out an incredible up the line pass to give him match point. An errant lob by Leibman gave Cam entry into the Ojai singles final, and Pomona-Pitzer their first-ever men's finalist.

In the final, Cam was placed on court 2 at upper Libby, right next to the Pac-10 Men's singles final and then the Open Men's singles final. Facing UC Santa Cruz's (his third Slug of the tournament) Max Ortiz, both players came out very tight, trading breaks until 5-5, when Max held and broke to take the first 7-5. The second set wasn't much better, with Max holding on 6-3 for the title. While Cam has chances to win the first set, it was an incredible experience and environment, and one that will hopefully serve as a springboard to future success. This was Cam's first experience in the finals of a tournament at any level, and he showed great poise and skill that will benefit both he and our program in the future.

I'd really like to thank the Taylor's for making the trip to support Cam. They were an incredible help all weekend long. I'd also like to thank the Cohn family for all of their help and support. A special thanks to Jeff Jablonski for making the trip to Ojai to watch the semi's and finals, and warming Cam up.

In other news, I'd like to welcome Uday Singh into the Hellhen family. Uday, who just reached the CIF doubles quarterfinals at Ojai, has committed to Pomona for next fall. We're looking forward to having Uday, Ramsay Bernard, and Alex Groth join the program next fall. We're still waiting to hear on a couple other great prospects and I'll keep you posted.

SCIAC's Update and Dual Season Recap

We wrapped up our dual match season on Saturday, falling to Cal Lutheran in a tough 7-2 decision. Cam Taylor and Nick Tag both won their singles matches at 1 and 2 respectively. Tag won 3 and 5, and Cam Pulled out a 7-6 (5), 3-6, 18-16 win.

This tourney was a great chance to see how such a young team would hold up to the end of the season grind of 3 matches in two days, and our road was a tough one. As the 5 seed going in, we had to take on the 4 seed in the first round. Our energy and confidence was high as we looked to retaliate for an earlier loss to Oxy this season. We got off to a shaky start, looking tentative in the dubs, and losing 2 of three. Cam and Drew "Giggity" Olian won at one dubs to at the very least improve on our dismal previous showing in dubs. Heading into the singles down 2-1, the Hens showed the poise and resilency that we've preached all season. Cam, Tag, and John Williford were efficient in quickly giving us four points at 1, 2, and 4 singles. Cam won 2 and 3, Tag went 2 and 2, and John roped his opponent 2 and 0. At three singles, the Giggipult fell to Oxy's best player(for some reason playing 3), Vince Karlen 3 and 0. Up 4-3 with two matches on, the match came down to #5 Grant Friedman and #6 Michael "Kung" Powell. Powell was a last-minute subsitution in the lineup, and fought hard, falling in the first set 7-5, but stepping up his level in the second to even it at a set apiece (6-4). Grant jumped out to a quick 6-2, 3-0 lead before fatigue set in and he let his opponent back into the match. Battling the flu, the heat, and an opponent with renewed confidence and momentum, Grant lost the second set 6-4 and looked finished heading into the third set. Powell showed senior poise heading into the third, and his energy, along with the crowd of teammates, parents, and friends, sparked Grant to open the third with a solid hold. Forcing his opponent into a long service game, Grant looked on the verge of an early break, but wasn't able to crack the kids serve. The long game took a toll on Grant, and he handed his opponent the break. Down 2-1, and then 3-1, Grant mounted an incredible comeback. As a coach, this is what the job is all about. It's both incredibly frustrating and totally exhilerating to watch this kind of match. There's little that I'm able to do but trust in my guy to find a new level. With the match on the line, and Powell staying on serve in the third, Grant found that new level, and absolutley grabbed the momentum to reel off 5 straight games and clinch the match. The emotions ran high as players stormed the court to an exhausted Baby G. It was our young team's first taste of such a competitive nationals-like atmosphere, and they held up with incredible confidence and poise. JR and I watched as a team that graduated 5 of our top 6 players from last year made it's way back to the conference semi's and a match-up with top seeded CMS.

I decided to rest Grant for the CMS match, and moved our three dubs team up to two. Garrett and John stepped in at three. In singles, Blake moved into the lineup at 5, with Powell still in at 6. We came out much sharper in the doubles, but still lost all three. We've been getting better and better as the year's progressed, and looking into next year, I'm very excited about our doubles. At 1 dubs, Cam and Drew fell 8-5, despite breaking Gui Schils' serve twice. They looked better than the morning, and Cam played his best doubles of the season. In the end, CMS' 1 team avenged their earlier loss to Cam and Drew. At 2, Tag and Drew Cohn played MUCH better, but eventually fell 8-4. At three, John and Garrett lost in a tiebreaker, showing the depth of our doubles.

In singles, while we didn't get any wins, we did have a couple great matches. Cam fell to SCIAC Player of the Year and the #17 player in the nation, Larry Wang 4 and 2. At two singles, Tag served for the first set 5-4, but fell 7-5. In the second, he stepped up, winning 6-1, and then lost in a third set super-t. I would have loved to watch him play it out. He'd actually played CMS' two Eric MacColl earlier in the season when they were both at 4. MacColl win the first meeting 1 and 1, so this showed just how much Tag has improved this season. At 5 singles, after falling in the first set 6-1, Blake found his rhythm against four star recruit Russell Brockett, losing the second 7-5. One of the guiding principles of our program is improvement and development. It is really important to us to improve EVERY DAY, and to learn from every opportunity. JR and I were both amused and impressed that a team with only two 2 star recruits (Powell and Williford) could push 3 and 4 stars. To have Tag (no stars) push and acutally outscore 3 star MacColl (11-9) lets us know just how much we are getting better. With such a young team, we are confident that the future is looking frighteningly bright. Junior Cam Taylor, who plays on the soccer team in the fall, played 7 singles and three doubles on our team at this point last year, and went from that to 1st Team All-SCIAC. Frosh Nick Tag, who moved from 5 in the lineup at the beginning to 2, was named to the All-SCIAC 2nd Team.

This week we prepare for Ojai, trying to break a 4 year-old curse placed on us by former player and current AC John Robert Hall III. Hopefully by making a pilgramage to the spot where JR and his partner Dave Frankel ('04) fell back in '04, we'll be able to cleanse the slate. Cam, Tag, Drew O., and John will be competing in the D-III singles draw, and Cam/Drew and Blake/Grant will be playing in the doubles portion. Powell and Grant will be playing in the Independent singles, and Garrett/John, and Tag/Drew C. will be playing in the dubs portion.