The tennis team started the 2012 season in impressive fashion, sweeping Lewis-Clark State College 7-0 in Lewiston, Monday.
“They all did exactly what they were supposed to, stuck to the tactics and it paid off for every single one of them,” coach Daniel Pollock said.
Pollock said it was nice to see the team return to Moscow fresh and ready to compete, especially because LCSC is home to the No. 11 doubles pair and No. 10 singles player in the nation.
“They have a highly ranked doubles team so first to come out and dominate that top doubles spot, 8-1 against such a high level, that was very promising,” Pollock said.
Idaho’s pairing of Beatrice Flores and Victoria Lozano beat the Warriors pairing of Jasova and Chong at No. 1 doubles. Idaho took the other two doubles matches 8-2.
Even though the pairing had only practiced together for a couple months, Pollock said it didn’t show.
“It was perfect for the doubles teams. It was like they had been playing together for at least a year,” Pollock said. “Team morale was fantastic, they were all super happy after that and they really should be.”
The team’s dominance did not stop after its doubles matches. The Vandals carried the momentum to the singles matches. In the No. 1 singles match Lozano met Jasova again — LCSC’s top player and No. 10 in the nation.
Lozano won the match in three sets, 7-6(6), 5-7, 10-5 and the high level of play did not go unnoticed.
“Dominicka (Jasova) and Vicky (Lozano) had a high quality match that was like a mid-season level match, and they were both playing very good tennis,” Pollock said.
The other matches were not as close and the Idaho women won all the matches in straight sets, with only one LCSC player reaching three games in a set.
Throughout its fall season and winter break, the team has focused on staying physically prepared and its dedication has shown in the results.
“I tell them we must be one of the best prepared teams in the nation. Now it’s just time to go out and enjoy our preparations and I think they did that really well today,” Pollock said.
He said starting out so dominant will give the team confidence moving forward.
“Hopefully we can keep that rolling through Thursday and see what we can do against WSU,” Pollock said.
Washington State has played three matches already this season in a tournament in Hawaii. The team beat Kansas, Kentucky and Hawaii in the tournament. Pollock is well aware of WSU’s early success and is preparing accordingly.
“WSU had some really good results against some good teams,” Pollock said. “…so I have to sit down and look at the match-ups and see who of our team matches up best with who of their team and give the girls a little bit of rest and light practice tomorrow,” Pollock said.
He said the team will practice hard and figure out what tactics will be useful against WSU, in what Pollock said will be a high-level contest against a good team.