How is Panther tennis performing?
Courtesy of Chapman Athletics
It’s midway through the season, and Chapman tennis has persevered through the ups and downs with more to come. Both the men’s and women’s teams jumped into the season with three wins to ignite a renewed sense of confidence in the program. The promising start had them questioning if this would be the year Chapman tennis would find their rhythm.
But sports are never that predictable. With a demanding schedule at hand, they knew the journey would be anything but easy.
The men’s team currently holds a 5-8 overall record. They started Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) play with losses against No. 16-ranked Pomona-Pitzer and No. 31-ranked California Institute of Technology (Caltech) on March 13 and 14, respectively.
At the reins is head coach Evan Parry, who has opened his first season with the Panthers on a strong note.
“We had a rough one at Caltech. (It was) our first away match.” Parry said. “We just did not perform. That was about the only match this entire season that I feel like we underperformed.”
Rather than let those losses define them, the Panthers used them as motivation.
“All of the teams that we lost to are all ranked,” junior finance major and captain Aram Izmirian said. “So we're viewing it as good competition for us and (as) ways to improve. But we're still as motivated as we were in the past.”
The men’s team also struggled with some injuries in the past couple of matches. Senior business administration major Ben Jorgensen, junior writing for film and television major Matthew Dewey and junior psychology major Lachlan Dickinson plan to make their return to the court soon. The team has been prioritizing recovery in preparation for SCIAC play.
On the women’s side, the Panthers hold a 5-5 overall record after a victory over Whitworth University, followed by a loss to No. 6-ranked Middlebury College.
“I think we're only getting better,” senior biological sciences major and captain Makaylee Dahms said. “If we continue to play at this level, I am confident we will be successful in our conference matches.”
But that’s not all that Parry and the Panthers are aiming for.
“I've never been and never will be a coach that wins at all costs,” Parry said. “We're here to create a great environment that's highly competitive and highly supportive. So intense, but intense in terms of my commitment to seeing this team and this program grow into something great.”
And that intensity will only heighten. As Chapman tennis further solidifies its culture, both teams will continue their matches over spring break. They are scheduled to host California Lutheran University to continue SCIAC play on March 28.