Tennis is ranked 75th in the nation by the ITA
By Dannielle Lowe
The men's tennis team recently gained national recognition by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA), who slotted the Pilots as the 75th ranked team in the nation.
The team is taking the recognition in stride, according to junior Joel Kincaid.
"I don't think it's a huge deal. I mean it's nice to have a little bit of recognition and good results. It shows the program is improving," he said.
The Pilots are often listed as one of the top 75 teams in the nation and have come to anticipate a spot on the list.
"For me, I expect us to be sneaking in and out of rankings all year," sophomore Evan Schleining said. "It feels good, though, to represent UP in the national spotlight and to play with this group of guys."
Although it's still early in the 2008 season, the Pilots are playing well. According to Kincaid, the team as a whole is talented despite a younger roster. The Portland squad includes one senior, one junior, two sophomores and four freshmen. The ranking and success thus far reflect the team's effort.
"The guys are working hard, and it seems to be paying off," Kincaid said. "I think we're off to a pretty good start - we've had two close matches with Cal-Poly and Washington. The guys are playing well, and the matches we've won have been fairly positive."
Currently, the team has a 4-2 record, having defeated Weber State (7-0), Idaho (6-1), UC Davis (6-1) and Montana State (5-2). Pilot losses have come at No. 38 Washington (6-1) and against Cal Poly (4-3).
The Pilots are led by sophomore Filip Zivkovic, who possesses a perfect 6-0 record in the team's No. 2 singles position.
In addition to Zivkovic, freshman Dillon Pottish is undefeated at 5-0 in the team's No. 3, while freshman Bryan Thorp, the No. 6, has a 4-2 record.
Thus far, the Pilots have also performed well in doubles play. They currently post a 14-4 record out the six matches played.
"Doubles have also been a strength for us," Kincaid said. "And that can be attributed to discipline, which our coach really emphasizes and works with us on."
The team is led by Head Coach Aaron Gross; this is his 11th year with the Pilots. According to Zivkovic, the season's success can be credited to Gross' leadership style. The athletes enjoy playing for Gross.
"It's fun. And it's different," Zivkovic said "With him, it's all about improvement; Aaron is pretty obsessed with players going pro after college. There's not a ton of pressure to win like there is at other colleges. With him it's all about improvement and getting better. So you can do something with what you learn after college."
Gross is known for his ability to develop strong teams year in and year out. Last season, Gross and the Pilots finished with a 13-8 overall record, going 3-1 in conference play.
In 2005, Gross led his team in an 11-match winning streak and finished with an 18-6 record. During that season, the Pilots were ranked in the No. 70 position by the ITA and finished as the No. 13 ranked team in the West Region.
If history proves to be any signifier of success, the Pilots are off to the right start. To keep winning, the whole team will have to play as a solid unit.
"We have to have all the guys stepping up at their personal moments, everyone else relying on the other guys," Zivkovic said.
The Pilots hit the court again on Friday, Feb. 22, against the Montana Grizzlies at the Louisiana Pacific Tennis Center. First serve is scheduled for 10 a.m.
