By Michael Haag | Sports Editor
The Baylor men’s tennis team made sure it didn’t waste anyone’s time.
The Bears — in front of a season-high 392 fans — made quick work of No. 5 USC by a score of 4-0 Monday night in the Hawkins Indoor Tennis Center.
For those who haven’t been inside the indoor facility, it’s difficult to fit 392 people in the fan section.
“Shoutout to the crowd,” head coach Michael Woodson said after the upset win. “This place was packed. There were people piled on top of each other all the way down to Court Six. That makes a huge difference for our guys. I hope we made them proud tonight.”
Came out ✅
Got loud ✅
Made an impact ✅#SicEm, Baylor Family! pic.twitter.com/ttYAXoOxkA— Baylor Men’s Tennis (@BaylorMTennis) February 13, 2024
Baylor (8-1) remained a perfect 6-0 at home with the victory, and it marked the 16th top-10 and eighth top-five win under Woodson, who’s in his fourth year leading the Bears. The Trojans (4-2) suffered their second-straight loss after opening the season 4-0. They were coming off a 6-1 loss at Oklahoma State on Saturday night in Stillwater, Okla.
Baylor jumped on USC early, snagging its seventh double point of the season. The Bears never looked back from there, and Woodson said the team was actually nervous going into double play.
“We did a really good job of slowing down and not rushing, playing good tennis, and eventually we found some good stuff and got the point,” Woodson said. “I can’t remember a time where we’ve jumped on a team that fast against anyone and then sustained it all the way through. We never gave up a lead in the first or second set, other than maybe 1-0.”
Junior Oskar Brostrom Poulsen and senior Christopher Frantzen secured their third-straight win on Court Three by a score of 6-1. Junior Tadeas Paroulek and sophomore Zsombor Velcz fell 6-4 shortly after, putting the doubles point in the hands of South African doubles partners freshman Devin Badenhorst and sophomore Luc Koenig.
Badenhorst and Koenig outlasted their foes 6-4, marking their sixth win as a unit at Baylor, which gave the Bears a 1-0 overall lead. The two have won five-straight doubles matches together.
Baylor cruised through singles play as well, as it never gave up a set lead on any court while play was still taking place. No. 107 Badenhorst erased his opponent on Court Three 6-1, 6-3, before No. 29 Paroulek picked up a ranked singles win over No. 96 senior Lodewijk Westrate 6-1, 6-2. Badenhorst is now a perfect 7-0 in singles play this year, which is the most wins and best record on the team.
Velcz secured the match sweet by upsetting No. 38 junior Peter Makk 6-3, 6-2. The victory marked Velcz’s highest-ranked win of his young career with the Bears.
Brostrom Poulsen and Koenig were both one game away from winning their singles matches in straight sets. Freshman Louis Bowden was tied 2-all in the second set of his match, but he ran away with a 6-1 win in the first set.
“I am just super impressed with our ability to focus throughout the match on our courts,” Woodson said. “The guys were just locked in competing, and I have a ton of respect for that. I am just super proud of our guys.”
Baylor now has its seventh 6-0 start at home in the last 10 seasons. The victory also marked the Bears’ first top-five win since besting No. 1 TCU on April 24, 2022, in Fort Worth.
Z's ACE WITH THE CLINCH! BEARS WIN!#SicEm 🐻🎾 pic.twitter.com/2eOj4Iiclb
— Baylor Men’s Tennis (@BaylorMTennis) February 13, 2024
Woodson said an upset win like this proves how far his young team has come.
“A couple of these guys have never been in that position before,” Woodson said. “I feel like the aurora around the team as we came out to warm up was interesting. We were more relaxed and confident.
“We’re starting to develop a swagger about us that I like. As they got out on the court, they locked in on their position, and they knew they were going to win their point. … I think the mature, older guys are having an effect on the young guys, and they’re following suit.”
The Bears will get back on the road to face McMurry University and Abilene Christian University on Sunday at the Cecil and Judi Eager Tennis Pavilion in Abilene. The first match against the Warhawks as part of the doubleheader is set to begin at 10 a.m., and the back half against the Wildcats will begin at 3 p.m.
