Chapman tennis brings passion into upcoming season

With sports finally getting back underway after almost a year off, some members of the men’s and women’s tennis team are rediscovering their love for tennis. Panther Archives

Eye to eye, competitors stare at each other, separated by 78 feet of tennis court. The sun beats down. Sweat falls. Breathing slows, and as a serve is tossed into the air, knees brace, ready to shift to one direction or another.

Chapman’s first women’s tennis match of the season took place March 4, resulting in a 7-0 loss against Azusa Pacific University, a team in the NCAA’s Division II. Despite the defeat, the match served as a reminder of the small delights in a sport they once took for granted.

For Aliya Allyn, a sophomore business administration major and women’s tennis player, what was once seen as a chore has become an unquenchable desire.

“Throughout high school, I always liked tennis, but it always felt like something I had to do,” Allyn said. “Now in college, since I’ve gotten a lot better; it’s something I enjoy doing. It’s not a chore, it’s a hobby. I want to play my whole life.”

Meanwhile, as COVID-19 shut down courts in March 2020, the extended absence served as an opportunity for members of the men’s tennis team — like Caleb Wilkins, a sophomore mathematics major — to reflect on their passion for the sport. 

“I’m super excited to get back into matches,” Wilkins said about the return of the men’s team to competitive action. “I’ll definitely take a moment to appreciate it, because now I understand there’s so much that can go wrong to prevent us from having a season.”

Players hungry to get back into action will have a chance, unlike many other spring teams, to feast on a variety of opponents this season. Both the men’s and women’s schedules are filled with matchups against NCAA Division I and II universities, higher than Chapman’s regular level of competition in Division III, prior to four consecutive games against California Lutheran University. 

Will Marino, the head coach of men’s and women’s tennis, believes with that current slate, the teams could make a run at a NCAA Division III national championship. 

“What I’m hearing is that it might come down to (games against) California Lutheran,” Marino said of his team’s Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) championship aspirations. “How we play against them, we might get a bid to nationals.” 

Marino went on to say that Chapman’s matches against Division II schools Biola University and Azusa Pacific University will prepare the team come April when they compete in SCIAC matches. The team had an opportunity to evaluate their play for the future after the March 4 loss.

“A little rusty,” Allyn said of her squad’s play in the first match. “But I think we’re definitely getting a lot better. Our team can definitely do really well in our conference.”

Freshman Danny Marsh, a business administration major, is hopeful for both programs’ success and can envision a playoff run on the horizon.

“We have a really good team this year and I think we have a good shot at making it to nationals,” Marsh said.