Generals dominate in home opener

The spectator’s view

A perennial dynasty

Double trouble

Hard work pays off

The brains behind the operation

One, two, three…BREAK

Tennis was in the forecast for Wednesday’s warm temperatures as the Washington and Lee men’s tennis team had its home opener against Ferrum College.

Surrendering only 12 games to their opponents, the Generals cruised to an easy win, 9-0. The team improved its record to 3-1 on the season. Both senior captain Jon Malooly and junior Stuart Sanford did not lose a single game on the afternoon, winning their singles and double matches, 6-0, 6-0 and 8-0 respectively.

The Generals boast a ranking of 20th in the nation. As the season begins, head coach David Detwiler is optimistic about the team's potential. “We are excited about defending our ODAC Championship and returning to the NCAA tournament,” he said.

A scoring change in NCAA rules will also change the Generals' game plan for the season. Doubles matches will now count separately for one point each, as opposed to the old system where winning two out of three matches resulted in capturing one point of the overall score. “Doubles becomes very important this year, so we need to improve our doubles skills in order to ensure victory,” said junior Nelson Bunn.

Junior Tim Ross dedicated himself during the off season and shot up the ladder during the Generals' first few weeks of practice. Ross has become the top singles player for the Generals as they begin their spring campaign.

Head coach David Detwiler exchanges lineups with the head coach from Ferrum. Detwiler said, “The pre-season buzz is that we are a young team with one senior in the top six of the singles lineup.”

The Generals huddle before taking the courts in their home opener. W&L returns to action on Tuesday afternoon, when the Generals travel to Randolph-Macon.