SAN DIEGO – No. 16 USD men's tennis claimed its third straight sweep to start conference play Tuesday with a 4-0 shutout of Saint Mary's at home, marking a monumental 200
th career win for head coach
Ryan Keckley.
"When you hit a milestone like this it gets you thinking a little bit about how things started," said Keckley, whose journey at USD started as an assistant in 2009, as head coach in fall 2015. "From there, you're thinking of all the players you've had help accomplish this milestone, this goal of 200 wins. I'm just very grateful to be able to coach and mentor those young men who are still very important in my life and also the coaches that have come and gone and done some great things while they've been here. So, I think the word is just gratitude."
Keckley eclipses 200 career wins as head coach in just 271 matches (.739) in the midst of his 11
th season, all of which have been at the helm of the USD men's program. It makes him the quickest Torero head man to reach the mark, surpassing the legendary Ed Collins, who accumulated 328 wins as head coach from 1980-96.
"I think it also just makes you realize how much you value a place like the University of San Diego," said Keckley. "I've been here for 11 years and there's not one time that I don't walk these stairs and see this facility and see this university and think 'man, I'm thankful of being here.' It's a special place and I'm really happy to be able to grab 200 wins here."
How it Happened
Tuesday morning's affair with the Gaels at Hogan Tennis Center was dominated by Keckley's Toreros from the jump. The national No. 31 duo of
Adrien Berrut and
Lambert Ruland drew first blood in doubles with a 6-2 win on main court. The pairing of senior
Oliver Tarvet and freshman
Luc Wieland followed it up with a 6-1 win on court No. 2 to clinch the doubles point.
In singles play, it was sophomore
Timo Barthes in his collegiate singles debut who struck first with a 6-3, 6-1 win. Seconds later, ITA No. 29 Tarvet followed it up with a 6-2, 6-1 win on main court, his eighth straight win, all in straight sets. Wieland grabbed the clincher, a 6-3, 6-1 win of his own to move to 4-0 to start his rookie campaign in singles.
The three singles victories, in addition to the doubles decision, sealed the match at 4-0 Toreros, seeing the three remaining matches go unfinished. Berrut – playing in the upper half of the lineup for the first time in his career – finished his first set in 22 minutes and led in his third set while
Neo Niedner and
Manvydas Balciunas led in their second sets.
It's the 16
th straight win over Saint Mary's, fifth straight in shutout fashion, moving to 19-1 all-time against the Gaels. It is also USD's first time sweeping its first three matches of WCC play since sweeping the first five during the 2021-22 season in which the Toreros went 23-4.
Up Next
The Toreros take on Pacific on Saturday, April 4 at 12 p.m. at Hogan Tennis Center for senior day, honoring the collegiate careers of All-Americans
Oliver Tarvet and
Stian Klaassen and
Neo Niedner.
Results
#16 San Diego 4, Saint Mary's 0
Doubles
1. #31
Adrien Berrut/
Lambert Ruland (USD) def. Finn Dyer/Thibaud Maxant (SMC) 6-2
2.
Oliver Tarvet/
Luc Wieland (USD) def. Paulo Hugo Etchecoin/Juan Pedro Etchecoin (SMC) 6-1
3.
Timo Barthes/
Manvydas Balciunas (USD) vs. Pierre Lieutaud/Bastien Maxant (SMC) 5-2, unfinished
Singles
1. #29
Oliver Tarvet (USD) def. Thibaud Maxant (SMC) 6-2, 6-1
2. #83
Manvydas Balciunas (USD) vs. Paulo Hugo Etchecoin (SMC) 6-4, 4-3, unfinished
3.
Adrien Berrut (USD) vs. Finn Dyer (SMC) 6-0, 4-6, 1-2, unfinished
4.
Neo Niedner (USD) vs. Juan Pedro Etchecoin (SMC) 4-6, 5-1, unfinished
5.
Luc Wieland (USD) def. Pierre Lieutaud (SMC) 6-3, 6-1
6.
Timo Barthes (USD) def. Bastien Maxant (SMC) 6-3, 6-1
Match Notes:
Saint Mary's (CA) 7-10
San Diego 15-4; National ranking #16
Order of finish: Doubles (1,2); Singles (6,1,5)
