Fresno State Athletics
Fresno State Wraps Up Homestand With Two This Weekend
3/28/2005 12:00:00 AM | Men's Tennis
March 28, 2005
- Weekly Notes (PDF)
Upcoming Matches...
Match #15: No. 51 Brown (14-4) at No. 50 Fresno State (8-6)
Saturday, April 2 -- 2 p.m. -- Wathen Tennis Center
Match #16: Pacific (7-7) at No. 50 Fresno State (8-6)
Sunday, April 3 -- 1 p.m. -- Wathen Tennis Center
What's Coming Up
Fresno State wraps up its four-match homestand this week with two at the Wathen Tennis Center. On Saturday, the 50th-ranked Bulldogs (8-6) host No. 51 Brown at 2 p.m. Then on Sunday, Fresno State takes on Pacific at 1 p.m. After starting the season 8-2, the Bulldogs have dropped four in a row, three of those losses coming to top 25-ranked opponents.
What Just Happened
The Bulldogs were on the cusp of their biggest victory of the 2005 season but allowed No. 14 Clemson to escape with a 4-3 victory last week at the Wathen Tennis Center. The dual began Wednesday and featured two rain delays, causing play to run late and eventually get suspended by darkness with Fresno State ahead 2-1. When things resumed Thursday morning, the Tigers took over, winning three of the four singles matches. It was Fresno State's fourth loss in a row and third to a top 25 team.
Bulldogs vs. This Week's Opponents
While Brown may not be a traditional rival for Fresno State, the Bears have definitely been a thorn in the team's side the past two years. The Bulldogs have only played Brown twice all-time, but the Bears have won both meetings. Both have come at the Blue-Gray Tennis Classic; in 2003 Brown defeated Fresno State 4-3 while last year the Bears cruised to a 4-0 victory. But it's been quite the opposite for the Bulldogs against Pacific. Fresno State is 16-0 all-time against the Tigers, including a 4-3 nailbiter last year at the Wathen Tennis Center.
Rain Rain Go Away
The unusually wet winter and spring has wreaked havoc with Fresno State's schedule this year. The Bulldogs have had six matches either postponed or cancelled by rain thus far in 2005. The most recent examples came last week, when Tuesday's Wichita State contest was wiped out by rain and then Wednesday's match against Clemson was delayed twice by the wet stuff. The six postponements is a program record.
Home Slate Winding Down
Following this week, Fresno State only has one more home match this year. That comes April 10 when the Bulldogs host UC Santa Barbara.
