Sophomore won 2 singles, 2 doubles matches last weekend
As one of the Co-AgSouth Athletes of the Week, sophomore Kyle Koch’s recent, consistent victories make him the underdog to watch out for on the men’s tennis team.
Koch won two singles and two doubles matches against SEC opponents on the road last weekend.
Coach Josh Goffi said he has seen a steady improvement in Koch that he has never experienced from a player in his coaching career.
“Everything is starting to come together for Kyle. He’s probably the hardest-working guy (on the team),” Goffi said. “He perseveres through losses, which is very tough to do, and losses hurt him, and that kind of fuels the fire for him to get better.”
In a competitive matchup against No. 5 Georgia Sunday, Koch managed to score his first win over a ranked opponent in his career with a comeback victory over Hernus Pieters. In addition, he and Harry Menzies make up the No. 2 doubles team, which scored a second straight win over a ranked opponent.
But USC fell to Georgia, 5-2, after losing to No. 6 Tennessee 4-1 Friday. As the Gamecocks travel to Alabama this weekend, Goffi hopes to see the players showcase everything they’ve practiced to better their play.
“We were soft in a few spots. The team didn’t get directly into their game plans,” Goffi said. “Each guy has a very specific set of tools that we implement a very specific game plan for, so they just have to go out and execute it.”
According to Goffi, the team needs to work on scoring solid doubles points, which he says the team lacked in previous matches. If the players can improve on that, they will put themselves in a better position to win.
“Once the match starts, it’s on them, and it’s on them at that point to have the will to win,” Goffi said. “We can’t really instill that in them, and the focus is necessary, obviously, in order to accomplish that goal.”
As an individual, Koch aspires to be the best in all that he does and wants to help his team out as much as he possibly can just by simply playing for them.
“I just put in a lot of time on the court, preparing mentally and physically,” Koch said. “It’s a really big weekend for us, and this weekend could really set us up for a great year.”
Koch added that the support from his teammates and coaches has helped him throughout the season.
“It gives you a support group more or less, and it can help nurture you and help push you forward and push you harder than you normally would on your own,” Koch said.
According to Goffi, the makings of a great player have to do with perseverance and dedication, both of which he says Koch has. In addition, he said Koch is always willing to “get back out and practice immediately to get better so he never has to lose again, and that’s the quality of a champion.”
For Koch, the upcoming weekend is equally important for him individually and for the team, as its performances at No. 35 Auburn and No. 26 Alabama will be an opportunity to bounceback from the Gamecocks’ two losses last weekend.
“I’m just looking forward to some great competition ... to compete really well and play a great opponent,” Koch said.