Which tennis team is more impressive?

POINT: Simply put, men’s team better of the two

by Weston Reeves

For years the men’s tennis team has consistently been the most impressive sports team at VCU. So now when they’re having one of their best seasons in recent memory, how can the women’s tennis team hold a candle to them?

The first thing that separates the men from the women’s team in this instance is their overall rankings. Simply put, the men’s team is ranked higher.

According to the Intercollegiate Tennis Association, the men’s squad is No. 9 in the country versus the women’s No. 19 ranking. A team is more impressive if they’re ranked higher than another team.

As far as the overall wins and losses are concerned, the women have the edge with their perfect 24-0 record. The men have four losses but have played much more challenging teams than the women have.

Sure the men have four losses, but look who those losses have come against.

They lost 4-3 to Virginia, who was ranked No.1 in the nation before the season started. They also lost 4-3 to Baylor, who has risen to No.4 in the country. The other two losses came to top-15 teams North Carolina and Ohio State.

But let’s not dwell on the not-so negative.

I feel it was more impressive to see the men’s team beat a couple of top-20 opponents than to see the women go undefeated against weaker foes.

It was extremely impressive to see the Rams take down Notre Dame, who is currently ranked 17th in the nation. It was even more incredible to see them pull out a 4-3 victory over Duke, who are now ranked No. 6

COUNTERPOINT: Women queens of the tennis courts

by Philip Bogenberger

There are few accomplishments that separate the women’s tennis team from the men’s team this season.

Both are highly ranked by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association, have nationally-ranked singles and doubles players and claimed Colonial Athletic Association titles again. But the women always win and look good doing it.

The 19th-ranked women just wrapped up an undefeated regular season. Their 24 wins equal a school record for most victories in a season.

During their streak, the women beat 11 top-100 teams this season, including three wins on the road against top-45 opponents to close out the regular season.

Winning on the road is not a new feat for the Rams, though. They have been just as remarkable at Thalhimer Tennis Center as when they were away from campus, winning 11 road matches and twice claiming three victories on four-day trips.

In 11 of their victories, the women blanked the opposition, including a 7-0 upset of then-No. 31 Maryland in February.

The women failed only twice to claim the doubles point, meaning they won at least two of the three doubles matches.

The 14th-ranked pair of Marianna Yuferova and Olga Borisova lead the women’s strong doubles play, recording 20 wins with just four losses. Their most recent victory snapped the 17-match win streak by Florida International’s Paula Zabala and Nikkita Fountain, the 29th-ranked duo.

Plus, VCU’s second-seeded doubles pair of Tatsiana Uvarova and Vera Petrashevitch have jumped to No. 40.

The women are just as imposing one-on-one. Uvarova, Yuferova, Vera Petrashevitch and Borisova are nationally ranked singles players.

Yuferova (19-2) is the highest-ranked player, at 46, but No. 77 Uvarova is the top-seeded Ram and earned her most impressive victory last week, a straight-set triumph over William and Mary’s No. 17 Megan Moulton-Levy.

Also, whether you’ve seen them on the court or around campus I do not need to explain why the women’s team is more entertaining to watch.