Q & A With Mike Mattelson, Vassar Men's Tennis

With three commanding wins to begin the spring season, the Vassar men’s tennis team is off to a soaring start. The Brewers shut out Baruch College on February 7, beat Manhattanville College 7-2 on February 14, and stomped over US Coast Guard Academy with another sweep last Saturday. Next Saturday, the team heads to Skidmore College for a rematch of last year’s Liberty League Championship, in which the Brewers lost, 6-3. Junior Mike Mattelson is undefeated so far at the number one singles position. Here is what he has to say on the season:

Q) What has been the key to success so far this season?
A) From what I can tell the thing that has been the most conducive to success on the court for us has been the effort everyone is putting in at practice. We are all working harder than ever right now and it's really showing in our results thus far. Everyone is determined to take back the Liberty League title from Skidmore. The reason we lost to them in the finals last year is because we weren't mentally tough and confident enough going in. The only way to be confident in the clutch moments is to be able to trust yourself to do what you know you're capable of. That will only happen through hard work and dedication in practice.

Q) Who do you look at as the key players on this year's squad? Have there been any that have played surprisingly well so far?
A) It's hard to pick out one or two guys as key players because every spot is so important for us. We have a smaller than ideal team so every person is so important…. This season really will be a complete team effort up and down the whole lineup. That being said, strong team morale is key and I would like to think that the reason we possess that is because of the leadership of our captain, Jeremy Rosen and our co-captain, myself. I take it upon myself to set a good example every day by working hard and having a positive attitude and I feel like that mentality has spread throughout the team. As far as guys who have been playing surprisingly well, I would have to say Shane Donahue. Last year he was near the bottom of our lineup, didn't start. After working hard over the summer and in France last semester abroad, he is not only starting for us, but winning convincingly in all his matches so far.


Q) What are your goals as a team?
A) Take back what we feel belongs in our possession: the Liberty League Championship!! That's our primary goal, but we also want to make it back to Nationals. Going last year for the first time in school history was a great experience, but we're looking to make an impact there this year, not just show up and be happy to be there. We've got a couple shots at redemption against teams we lost to last year, which is something to get fired up about for sure. I personally can't wait to put the crush down on Tufts after losing a devastating 5-4 decision to them last year.

Q) What are your personal goals?
A) Since freshman year, I've wanted to play in the National singles tournament in May. It's something that I have been working towards for the past two and a half years. Since playing competitively in juniors, I've always believed that I was capable of being really good, but I have lost to other guys that I felt I could have beaten…. When I came to college I really felt it was a chance for me to reach that next level that I've always known I could. With the help of my coach, Ki Kroll, as well as a lot of hard work, I feel like I'm so close to being a top D3 player. After I lost in the finals of ITAs in the Fall, a tournament where the winner gets All-American status, I have been even more determined to win. Entering into the bulk of the Spring Season, I believe that I can beat any player that I will face. While this does set me up for potential disappointment, I need to set high goals for myself to ensure that I continue to work hard and stay motivated. I want to make Nationals so badly. I figure if I don't lose a match I should have a pretty good shot of making the tournament. I will go into every match believing that I can win and hopefully I'll continue to have the success I desire.

Q) How has last year's loss in the championship affected what you guys want to accomplish this year?
A) It has only made us hungrier to win this year. Every match we play (and potentially win) is one step along the path for us to take back what's rightfully ours from Skidmore. We are so determined. We want it so badly. We are going to play them this Saturday (Feb. 28) for a dual match and we plan on making a big statement.