The Bucs earned their second win of the season over Portland with a score of 6-1. With this win, the Bucs remain second in the standings, bringing them to 2-3 on the season.
There were many big moments in the match, and head coach Yaser Zaatini definitely had his favorites.
“I have to say in the match against Penn, our freshman Wence Albin, stepped up when we needed him,” Zaatini said. “Also, the backbone of our team, Rogerio and Robert, are performing extremely well.”
Zaatini was very happy with the team’s performance, especially since a key player was out.
“[David] Biosca, our number one player, is the heart of the team, but he’s hurt and banged up,” Zaatini said. “We need all the guys to step it up.”
Most importantly, the team has shown improvement early enough in the season to take down a team like Portland.
“In the match against Portland we had four matches in three sets, and three of the guys were down the first set,” Zaatini said. “They all managed to turn it around and avenge the loss we had against them last year.”
The Bucs know that, in order to get on a roll, they must get everyone back to healthy conditions since it’s so early in the season. Zaatini believes skill isn’t a factor right now with the team’s record.
“Physically … we need to get healthier no doubt,” Zaatini said.
Because of injuries, Zaatini knows he’ll have to have young freshmen perform earlier in the season, which will help farther down the line.
“I’m very skeptical about playing freshman on tough trips,” Zaatini said. “I usually lean towards experience, but Wenceslao Albin won two important matches for us. Robert Herrera carried his weight as well, he pulled out three impressive victories … I’m very pleased with them.”
Just like last season, Herrera will likely be a major contributor for the Bucs.
“I believe that we can do great things together,” Herrera said. “We know the hard work and effort is what it takes and the effort we put on the court.”
Herrera is very confident in his abilities and isn’t afraid to let it be known.
“About my level … I am playing very well with confidence I believe that I can beat anyone,” Herrera said. “My coach made little changes in my strokes (backhand and serves) and I feel more confident with my game.”
Even with the improvements to the game, he feels like he still has many skills that he needs to refine.
“I am an aggressive player,” Herrera said. “I would like to finish more points at the net. I think that this is a good improvement that I can try to learn because sometimes I need to hit three more balls to win the point.”
