The Oswego State men’s tennis team is currently at 2-1 so far going into the spring. The players this year are very ecstatic and are very proud of how the season has gone for them.
Earlier in the season, the team won huge matches against St. John Fisher College and Alfred University which players said improved confidence and sparked motivation.
Senior Anthony Salerno is in his final undergraduate season as a member of the Oswego men’s tennis team. He and his team set expectations for themselves this year and were glad to have some payoff. Salerno and his teammate Austin Davis tallied a combined score of 16-8.
“Even though I am a senior this year, I will be continuing my education with the School of Business here at Oswego to obtain my MBA,” Salerno said. “I have an extra year of eligibility due to COVID-19 so I will be on the team for another year. In every practice and in every match that we have played I am looking to give 100% and help lead the team to not only a win but to also improve as individuals as well. I also want to personally improve my mental game which is my number one goal and want to try to stay focused, consistent and levelheaded throughout the match, which is a majority of the battle”.
Salerno has been satisfied with the roster on the tennis team so far this season.
“The one thing that I liked about our roster as a whole is the depth that we bring to the table in regard to skill level,” Salerno said. “Everyone from top to bottom of our ladder are within the same skill level. This gave us an advantage against other teams who might not have had as deep of a roster and that really gave us a boost to the quality of our practices.”
Salerno has been very impressed with freshman Justin Schwab and how he has performed as a crucial member of the squad.
“Justin has been a spectacle to watch this fall season,” Salerno said. “He came out during our opening match and walked over his opponent in a clean victory not losing a game.”
Freshman Justin Schwab said that Salerno has been a role model for him.
“Yes 100%, I have always been hard on myself, and I get frustrated when I am not playing to my full capacity,” Schwab said. “But this season every single one of my teammates including my coaches helped me so much with this frustration and helped me calm down. Especially in our last two matches junior Justin Piotrowski and junior Raymond Paull, both pulled me aside and calmed me down as well as motivated me into winning the following points.”
Before the season got going, Schwab was very nervous to be a collegiate tennis player but he said that over time he improved immensely.
“I was very anxious and curious approaching my first college match,” Schwab said. “ I knew it was going to be a significant step up from college-level tennis. I always play better when I have better competition so playing at this level has definitely improved every aspect of my game. Our team as a whole did a great job preparing each other for the season. We all want to win so it brings a big competitive environment in practice in which I believe has helped our success this fall.”
As the season progresses to the spring, Piotrowski has some expectations that he would like to see from his team.
“I think most teams are going to look out for us now after the statement we made in the fall,” Schwab said. “I expect us to keep this momentum and continue to get better.”
Schwab has been able to reflect on his season so far and knows a few things he can improve upon moving forward.
“I’d say my strongest aspect of my game is the ability to stay in every point,” Schwab said. “I never give up on any point and fight for every hit possible. The weakest part of my game would be undoubtedly the mental part of it.”
The Oswego men’s tennis team seems eager to continue their season in practices throughout the winter and matches come spring.
Photos provided by Oswego State Athletics
