|
Men's Tennis
Arce leads men's tennis charge for A-10 title
April 11, 2003 ST. BONAVENTURE, N.Y. - Two years ago, St. Bonaventure coach Mike Bates knew Mario Arce was a skilled player, but didn't realize he could play at such a high level.
"I came in ready to play at the college level," said Arce. "I was anxious to play and it went better than I expected."
Arce finished the 2002 spring season with a 17-3 record playing mainly at No. 3 singles. Arce also joined Vili Nurmi to go 12-6 at No. 1 doubles. Arce was rewarded at the end of the season when the Atlantic 10 recognized him as its 2002 Rookie of the Year.
While the 2002 season came to an end short of winning the A-10 Championship, Arce continued to be recognized for his outstanding play.
He became the first player in St. Bonaventure history to be nationally ranked. The Intercollegiate Tennis Association (www.itatennis.org) ranked him 135th among all Division I players.
"The most important thing to Mario is he wants his team to win the A-10 Championships," Bates said. "It is a main reason why he came to us, to go to the NCAA tournament." Arce has taken his game to the next level in order to win a championship. This season, he made the jump from No. 3 singles to No. 1 and has compiled a record of 21-10, the highest win total among all A-10 players. In the fall, he and Nurmi earned the team's first regional ranking, sixth in doubles. On the season, Arce has gone 13-10 at No. 1 doubles.
"I didn't expect (to play No. 1), but I knew at some point it could happen," Arce said. "I played at their (Nurmi and senior Mikko Haulos) level last year and I have been playing really well this year."
"The thing that sets him apart from the other players is his intensity," Bates said. "He never let up on the opponent no matter what the score is. He has an incredible desire to win and possesses all the shots to back it up."
THE MARIO ARCE FILE
|
|
