The Virginia men's tennis team has struggled against teams that have been in the International Collegiate Association's tennis rankings this season. Virginia will try to buck that trend when it takes on Brown, who was ranked as high as No. 46 in early January, today at 2:30 p.m. at the Snyder Tennis Center.
The Cavaliers are coming off of a dominating 5-2 win at Richmond on Tuesday, in which the top three seeds all picked up wins for a team that had struggled against strong ACC competition over the weekend.
"It was an important win for our team," head coach Brian Boland said. "But our team is young, and we have stressed this season that it is important to focus on progressing forward a little bit every match and letting the wins and losses fall where they may."
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Virginia faces a Brown team that has what could be described as the toughest schedule in the country this season. The Bears have faced six teams in the top 20, though all have been losses. They gave Georgia, the No. 1 team in the country, a tough fight before falling, 1-4.
Brown is "a very tough team," Boland said. "Just look at their schedule. They have played some really good clubs."
Virginia players have said they are ready for the challenge and feel good about the way that they have competed in the last couple of matches.
"We are ready to go," freshman Stephen Nolen said. "We are playing better tennis than the results have shown, and I think everybody is improving. I know that I have been playing much better tennis over the last couple of matches."
Boland was quick to agree with Nolen, praising the progress of everyone on the team.
"A coach could not have a better group of guys," Boland said. "Mike [Duquette] has been in the best shape since he has come to Virginia," he said. "Jason [Romesburg] is a kid who was playing as a sixth seed last season, but is now getting wins at the number two seed. And freshman Stephen Nolen is playing great tennis, and he is just beginning to develop. Those are only a few of the guys."
Boland will need big matches out of the team's top three seeds if they hope to pick up a win over a tested Brown squad this afternoon.
Though Boland said that the team is focusing on progress first and foremost, there is no question that he would like to see a "W" on the stat sheet on Friday.
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