The CSU-Pueblo men’s tennis team | Photo courtesy of gothunderwolves.com
Every player of the CSU-Pueblo men’s tennis team won his match in the team’s first home match on March 16. The matches were at the Pueblo Country Club, where they played against Dallas Baptist University.
At No. 1 doubles, junior Siggy Menzel and freshman David Mould won their match 9-8 (7-3). At No. 2 doubles, sophomore Brenden Sullinger and sophomore Steven Alcala won their match 9-8 (7-5). The No. 3 doubles pair, senior, Marcelo Chaparro and junior Ryan Ray won their match 8-4.
Menzel also plays No. 1 for the singles roster as well and won a tight match at 7-6 (7-4), 6-4. He said he felt the first home match went great.
“I’m really happy with the way everyone played and competed,” he said. “Great energy, fight at positivity. Decent crowd turnout as well.”
He also has a few goals for the season. “My season goals are to have more wins than losses in doubles, win two out of four of my RMAC singles matches at number one, and win three out of four of the RMAC matches as a team and to always give 110 percent”.
Menzel thinks that he and his partner, Mould, will have a successful season because they work well as a pair. Menzel is from Australia and Mould is from England.
“I feel like David and I get along really well” Menzel said. “Even off court, we share similar things. England and Australia are very similar also, so that definitely bring a lot of things in common, and we just get along very well. David is very good at listening and is open to ideas and suggestions which makes it great playing with him.”
Menzel also said that David has a “mentality very similar to mine to always give 110 percent. Him being a lefty helps a lot also”.
The other men were successful in their matches as well. The No. 2 singles player, Acala, won his match 6-3, 6-4, No. 3 Chaparro won 6-3, 7-5, Mould won at No. 4 with 6-2, 6-1.
Ray won at No. 5 with 6-2, 6-3, and Sullinger won at number six singles 6-1, 6-4.
Ray also said the felt this match was the best he has played all season so far for singles. For doubles, Ray said “My partner and I stepped up our game and ended up winning comfortably in doubles after having a tough time in the beginning of the set.”
Like Mezel, Ray also has team goals for the season.
“As a team we want to beat our rivals Mesa and Metro in the RMAC and just do well in the conference,” he said.
The men’s team has several more matches in their season. Their next match will be March 23 at 1 p.m. at Pueblo City Park.
Other season information such as the roster, team pictures, match results and season schedule can be found online on the CSU-Pueblo athletics website under men’s tennis.