“I don’t think we have progressed this year,” said men’s tennis head coach Yaser Zaatini.
His club beat Gardner Webb 7-0 on Friday in the Mini-Dome but Zaatini said he is concerned. “There might be a time when we will need one if them to step up,” he said. “If they are not playing at 100 percent every match, they might not be ready (to capitalize) at a decisive moment. The ball bounces funny sometimes.”
Zaatini was a fierce competitor at ETSU in the early ’90s. The ETSU coach was inducted into State’s Hall of Fame as the only all-American in school history.
Zaatini has guided his teams to back to back SoCon Championships and doesn’t want to miss a chance to take the A-Sun this year. “It is not who you are playing, it is competing at your best every point,” Zaatini said.
The award-winning coach said there is a difference between playing tennis at your best and competing at your best.
Zaatini’s team showed up to the Memorial Center ready to compete against a pack of hungry Bulldogs when ETSU swept the overall point in doubles play by winning all three matches.
Felix Insaurralde and Lisandro Picardo took their bout 8-3 against Taylor Ferrier and Gabe Veiga. Enrique Olivares and Sebastian Serrano won over Gardner Webb’s Brad Clinand and Kim Ellis 8-4, and Buccaneers Oscar Posada and Matt Stanley edged Kern Phillip and Roberto Vasques 8-5.
The Buccaneers leashed the Bulldogs in singles play as well earning win at every position.
The battle at the top spot was a heated one. Posada and Vasques looked like a couple of rugged boxers in the ring slugging it out. Posada was the last man standing in the fight 6-4, 6-3.
ETSU’s Insaurralde would tame Ferrier the No. 2 spot, 6-2, 6-1.
Buccaneer freshman Olivares stayed focused and knocked off Clinard 6-4, 6-2.
Gardner’s Veiga was trying to keep a winning streak alive but was thwarted by State’s Picardo, 6-2, 6-0.
Serrano, a sound sophomore for ETSU, slapped Ellis 6-2, 6-1.
ETSU’s Stanley played the longest match of the afternoon. Bulldog’s Phillip won the first set in the conflict 6-3. Stanley battled back and dropped the much taller Phillip in the second set 6-0. The ETSU freshman won the tie break as well 10-6 to pick up the point for his squad.
The win gave the ETSU men’s crew an undefeated season in conference regular season play.
The Bucs should get the top seed in the Atlantic Sun Conference Tournament scheduled to begin April 12 at Mercer University in Macon, Ga. ETSU can not afford a let down between now and then. University of North Florida is also undefeated and their men are just a game back of the Bucs in overall competition.

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