Gamecocks to face Appalachian State, Wofford on Saturday
For the Gamecock tennis team, last week's SEC Indoor Championships was about trying to compete with some of the toughest teams and players in the nation, and coach Josh Goffi came away impressed with his team's effort.
"Last week we figured out that we can be as good as anybody," Goffi said. "We saw the level of the SEC, and we did not shy away from it. We had guys beating players that were ranked higher than them. It was a real confidence booster for our team."
Sophomore Nick Jones and freshman Kyle Koch were particularly effective as they claimed the doubles consolation bracket. Koch also made it to the finals of the singles consolation bracket. Goffi was pleased with both players and is counting on them as the season begins.
"I am really proud of Kyle," Goffi said. "He has put in a lot of work and it has paid off for him. We need someone to step up and take control of this team, and he and Nick did that Saturday."
The Gamecocks will return home to face a doubleheader Saturday as they take on Appalachian State at 10 a.m. and Wofford at 4 p.m. According to Goffi, playing doubleheaders are difficult, but he isn't worried about this team.
"Doubleheaders are definitely both a mental and physical test," Goffi said. "It can be mentally draining, but our players are physically ready to handle it. The good thing about it is that it will give us some good reps for our team. Both of these teams are very well coached and do a great job preparing their guys. We lost to Elon last year in the second match of the season, so we need to be ready to compete at home this weekend."
During the off-season, Goffi and assistant coach Matt Lucas made it a priority to try and garner more support from fans. With the upcoming move to a new outdoor facility, Goffi hopes that over time, there will be more fan support.
"We had a successful promotion during the offseason," Goffi said. "Coach Lucas and I went out to try and put ourselves out there, something that hasn't been done with this program. It can take years before you see an effect but I am hoping that soon, we will have 1,000 people at our matches."
USC is coming off of a disappointing season last year when the team posted a 6-18 overall record and was just 1-10 in SEC play. The Gamecocks were victimized by a tough schedule and were forced to rely on a lot of young players. The roster this year again features five freshmen, but Goffi is confident his team can improve.
"I am looking for one thing Saturday," Goffi said. "I want the guys to compete their hearts out. That is our motto for the season. We can't give up and we must play to our utmost ability. If we can do that, we can establish ourselves in this league. However, we have a lot to learn with us being a young team. We need to become more mature on the court."