Mission accomplished as Nicholls tennis teams were able to host tourney at new venue

It was mission accomplished on a number of fronts for Greg Harkins and his Nicholls tennis teams coming off the Bayou Down the Bayou event held at the Thibodaux Regional Sports Complex.

It was a three-team men’s and women’s event hosted by Nicholls that included the University of New Orleans and Loyola.

“It was just great to get to have the collegiate event and getting our feet wet in the fall tournament realm. I was just pleased that the play improved from Day 1 to Day 2 and the kids really competed hard, so I was pleased in that respect,” Harkins said.

The event allowed Nicholls to show off the venue it now calls home for tennis.

“This is my eighth season here – and I’m a facilities guy – so to be able to host a true collegiate event, it was a great step in the right direction to showcase the program,” said Harkins.

“This weekend was a men’s and women’s event, but my ultimate goal would be able to host women’s event exclusively because I could bring in six women’s teams and then a men’s event and I could bring in six teams. We could expand through the region or wherever anyone wanted to participate.”

The level of play over the course of the two-day event last Friday and Saturday was competitive, according to Harkins.

“UNO is in our conference so it’s always a close battle and they were very competitive matches,” the Nicholls coach said. “Loyola is a nationally ranked NAIA team. We’ve had successes against these teams in the past. It’s usually very close so the level was pretty consistent throughout men and women. “

The goal, coming off the first event of the fall, Harkins said, is to show improvement.

“We have to find the right matchups for doubles and also see how the lineups are going to break down by spring. This weekend was a great opportunity to kind of test the waters with some of our new players matriculating into the program and even with some of our players coming back. I was very pleased with both,” he said.

The event was a learning experience for his squads, Harkins said.

“I think the weather was pretty hot. I think they were getting comfortable on court, learning how to break down your opponents. Staying mentally focused,” said Harkins. “They represented well, and they really tried to sort out and problem solve.

“I think that was a big point of this weekend. Being in match-play competition, it’s always different than practicing and just really starting to get their focus on the competition in making good decisions in pressure situations.”

A pair of international newcomers, Harkins said, had a chance to get a bit more accustomed to their now environment.

“Kotaro Matsumura, from Japan, he would be one of the top players in the conference last year, played some solid doubles as well,” said Harkins. “He really stood out from a freshman standpoint playing his first event.

“On the lady’s side, we have a young lady from China, Liu Qain Yu. She has potential to be a very high-level player. It’s going to take some time to acclimate. She’s not used to this sub-tropical climate. She hasn’t been playing competitively because of COVID and the restrictions over in China in a while. If she gets her feet grounded, she could really elevate the game.”

The men’s and women’s teams also had some seasoned players who had a chance to sharpen their games. Among the men were the likes of Omar Morsy and Antonio Sasso.

Tops among the women is Carla Bouygues, while Constanza Cruz is a junior.

“Her experience will help us in the clutch this season,” Harkins said of Cruz.

Noemie Piquet is another international player from France.

“She has grown over the last year and shown signs of maturity. She should make an impact on the squad this year,” Harkins said.

Overall, the veteran coach said he came away from the event feeling pleased with what he saw of his teams and their potential.

“I was optimistic. You’ve got to be. It’s all about trial and error. The reality of it is, they’re still kids, even though they are young adults, they are learning and trying to figure things out. We keep a positive attitude. The kids are working hard in practice and it will pay off. The more time we are on board, the better it’s going to get.”