Cavalier command on the tennis courts has become a staple of Virginia athletics — and this year is no exception. On Sunday, the No. 1 Virginia men's tennis team (22-3, 11-1 ACC) and the No. 13 Virginia women's tennis team (14-9, 9-5 ACC) both closed out the regular season with home court triumphs at Snyder Tennis Center on Senior Day.
For the Cavalier men, this victory marked their 13th-consecutive ACC regular-season championship — an impressive showing under head coach Brian Boland, who has led the team for the last 14 years. The victory sharpened both Virginia statistics and self-esteem.
“It gives the team a great deal of confidence,” Boland said. “They have worked extremely hard throughout the regular season, and they’re playing at a really high level right now.”
All of that hard work during the regular season means one thing — post-season play is coming their way.
The ACC tournament kicks off this weekend at Cary Tennis Park in Cary, N.C. where both Cavalier teams return to defend their 2015 titles as the reigning ACC-tournament champions. Sunday’s regular season finale secured the men’s team the top spot in the ACC quarterfinals this weekend, giving Virginia time to rest during the first two tournament rounds.
Despite two regular season losses to ACC rival North Carolina — the first conference losses faced by the Cavalier’s men’s team in years — Boland is optimistic.
“I could not be more pleased with where we’re at this point as we head into the ACC championships this weekend,” Boland said.
Those extra days off also give the team time to refocus on the challenges that lie ahead in this championship play.
“This is what we’ve been working for all year,” senior Mac Styslinger said. “The rest of the season we were just trying to get better and grow into this point, so now everyone’s game is really coming together.”
For Styslinger, winning another title would be the “icing on the cake” of his time here at Virginia. Senior Ryan Shane, the defending ACC singles champion and ACC Men’s Tennis Player of the Week, will lead the team in Cary with his fellow seniors as they look to continue their season of success.
The women’s tennis team, on the other hand, begins play in the first round of the tournament Thursday at 1 p.m. They will come in as the No. 5 seed in the event, facing the winner of No. 12 seed Florida State (13-12, 4-10 ACC) versus No. 13 seed Boston College (9-13, 3-11 ACC), both of whom the Cavaliers defeated during the regular season. After an unsteady season riddled with tough losses both on and off the court, senior Julia Elbaba believes Virginia’s women’s team has finally found their footing.
“We have faced a lot of adversity and been through a lot of challenges, but I’m confident we are putting out our best lineups right now and I think we progressed in a really positive way,” Elbaba said. “I think we are stronger and confident now going into the postseason.”
Elbaba and fellow seniors Danielle Collins and Stephanie Nauta were the Cavaliers’ leading women last year during championship play, a role they have not relinquished. They will attempt to bring a final championship title home with them from Cary this weekend — in the seniors’ last ACC tournament.
“I think it’s important to play as well as we are capable and the results will follow,” Elbaba said. “We are playing well right now, and if we go into each game with confidence and belief, I think we can go all the way.”
The late-season momentum gained by both teams will swing them into the weekend where they will fight to defend their titles. Virginia tennis looks to amplify their ACC championship legacy in Cary.
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