HUNTINGDON, PA- When the Landmark Conference announced its preseason rankings three weeks ago, the Juniata men's tennis team was selected #1. JC is coming off a program record 17-2 season that saw it go 7-0 in the conference in the regular season and advance to the Landmark championships where they fell by one point to Catholic.
Head coach Jason Cohen, who enters his fourth season at Juniata, is positive the team will not be affected by the ranking and will continue their success from last season. "I am confident our guys will be able to match and exceed the intensity of the other teams every time we are put to the test because that is what champions do," Cohen said.
"Championships are not won in the pre-season polls and we know this," Cohen stated. "What this means is that every conference match we play, we will have to expect our opponents to come out with everything they have because they want to prove that they should be where we are."
Returning to first singles will be sophomore Dean Polisena (Adelaide, Australia/St. Ignatius). As a freshman last season, Polisena went 17-7 overall and 6-1 in the conference and was named the Rookie and the Player of the Year.
"I think this year he is adjusting to our tougher schedule which means playing tougher opponents," said Cohen. "So far this year, he has had some close losses but I think he is learning from those losses and hopefully that will help him for the rest of the year and moving on to his junior and senior years."
Two freshmen join the lineup this season in Sho Sato (Shiga, Japan/Kansai Gaidai University) and Matyas Kohout (Krhanice, Czech Republic/Gymnasium Jizni Mesto). Sato won his draw at the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) championships back in September. "Sho had a learning curve coming here not only coming to America but in life," remarked Cohen. "He came from Japan where the courts are faster and points don't last as long. He had to work on being more consistent. I think he struggled with that at Oberlin but then at ITAs he drastically improved over the course of two weeks."
Cohen expected Kohout to have an impact right away at the top of the lineup. "He has a different style compared to the other guys where he is good at absorbing pace," said Cohen. Kohout will team up with Polisena at first doubles.
The 4th, 5th, and 6th singles spots will all be occupied by juniors. Bryan Gregory (Glen Mills, PA/Garnet Valley) is at 4th. He was a Landmark Second Team selection in 2014 as he went 15-7 overall, 13-3 in singles, and 6-1 in the conference playing at the 3rd, 4th, and 6th positions. Logan Moore (Chadds Ford, PA/Unionville) posted a 20-win season and went 6-1 in the conference while going 17-0 in the fifth spot. Mike Lifshitz (Worcester, MA/Worcester Academy) went 12-4. Moore will team up with Sato at second doubles while Gregory and Lifshitz will pair together at third doubles.
Cohen describes Gregory, Moore, and Lifshitz as a whole as the heart of a team that's has gone from fighting to make the playoffs to one that is now a conference favorite. "Having experience at 4, 5, and 6 is invaluable to have. All of those guys work hard and have improved since they have gotten here," said Cohen.
After starting their dual match season on February 21 against Salisbury and Bridgewater, the Eagles return to the court this Monday when they travel to South Carolina for three matches. Landmark competition begins on March 21 with a rematch against the Cardinals.
"This is probably the toughest schedule that any team has played before," remarked Cohen. "We have already faced two regionally ranked teams (Salisbury and Bridgewater). Rhodes and Methodist are also regionally ranked and Baldwin Wallace was 19-4 last year. These are tough matches to prepare for the rest of the season. If we have success against this quality of teams, I'm very confident in our abilities."
