After falling early in Phoenix, Arizona, the young Sacramento State squad holds their heads high looking forward to the future of their collegiate careers.
They faced the third-seeded Montana Griz, whom they lost to 5-2 as part of the Golden State Invitational in early March.
Though they had several singles games in their third set, the match was called complete after Montana won the necessary four points, denying Sac State their comeback.
With an overall record of 10-12, the Hornets scraped into the Big Sky Conference Tournament as the sixth seed. Though they only played one match, the trip to Phoenix gave the young core postseason experience.
“We learned what they all needed to do to get better, building their mindset and strategies on how to execute their style and how they play,” Sac State’s head coach Kevin Kurtz said. “Overall, I think for us to do so well was pretty exciting for a new team.”
The defeat closed the chapter on six of the eight players’ first years at the collegiate level. With the season over, players are putting their focus on the offseason, reflecting on the year.
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The inaugural season for many of the Hornets wasn’t without its highlights.
“There were a couple of memorable moments. The one where Henry beat Idaho. That was incredible. The other good one was when David beat the guy from Hawaii,” Kurtz said.
Both matches came down to the final set, deciding each game with their victories.
Kurtz said freshman David Dai had only played at the collegiate level for two months prior to his third-set triumph against Hawaii on March 5.
Similarly, the captain replicated the clutch factor, taking Idaho to the third set. He called the match his own with his signature methodical and slower style of play.
While the highlights are moments to remember, it’s the little things the Hornets look to work on in the future. Freshman Nick Bowles said he used the season to focus on his own improvement as a player and believes his teammates did the same.
“Working with my teammates and coaches, I think we learned a lot. We all sort of know what to work on,” Bowles said. “For me, it’s the forehand that’s the weapon, and that’s what I want to improve more and get better at.”
Sophomore team captain Henry Lamchinniah spent his second collegiate season with the Hornets, transferring in from Southern Mississippi. In his first year with Sac State, Lamchinniah held it down at first singles all season, boasting a 14-5 overall record and 6-2 in conference play.
The captain said he focused on his responsibilities as a leader throughout the year.
“For these guys coming into their first season, you try to help them out as much as you can,” Lamchinniah said. “It’s all a big learning process.”
Amid the new role he adopted, the sophomore said he’s also found time to manage himself.
“Tennis is a pretty tough sport. There’s a lot of things happening externally and the more you let them get to you, the more you let little things build up,” Lamchinniah said. “It’s a long season. Recovery is really important. Everything else will hopefully take care of itself.”
With the season’s door closed, the summer opens up new opportunities for the Hornets away from the school.
Both Lamchinniah and Bowles said they have plans to play in tournaments outside of Sac State, filling the collegiate level’s offseason with competitive tennis to keep their skills sharp.
“The guys that play 20, 30 tournament matches will probably come in maybe one or two levels better than they left,” Kurtz said.
In the developmental season for these rookie Hornets, Kurtz said the team enjoyed itself.
“It was fun to see the development and the passion. The hard work ethic of the team was really cool to see,” Kurtz said.
