Cavaliers heavy favorites in NCAA opener

By Whitey Reid

Published: May 9, 2008

Fairleigh Dickinson coach Ira Miller has broken out the old Gene Hackman speech from the movie “Hoosiers” as his team prepares to face top-ranked and undefeated Virginia this morning in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

Well, the tennis version, that is.

“I basically told the team that we’re using the same ball and the same size court,” Miller said, “and not to worry about who’s on the other side of the net and to just play their game.”

That might be easier said than done when you consider what Virginia (28-0) has accomplished this season.

In February, UVa won an indoor national championship, defeating the likes of UCLA and Georgia, then proceeded to demolish pretty much everything in its path en route to an ACC championship. The Cavaliers have been ranked No. 1 in the country all season.

“You have to tip your hat to the team and the program,” Miller said. “It’s very, very competitive Division I tennis. To go undefeated is remarkable when anything can happen.”

The winner of this morning’s match, which gets under way at 10 a.m., will face the Penn State-Virginia Commonwealth winner at the Snyder Tennis Center on Sunday at 1 p.m., with the winner advancing to the NCAA Round of 16 next week in Tulsa.

FDU (12-8), which earned an automatic berth to the tournament after winning the Northeast Conference, is no stranger to the underdog role. Last season, the Knights lost to eventual national champion Georgia, which finished undefeated.

Running the table is something Virginia knows it must now do.

“It’s definitely hard in college athletics in any sport to go undefeated,” said Virginia co-captain Somdev Devvarman. “We don’t feel any added pressure. We knew our goal right from the start of the season and have approached it the right way and I think we’re peaking at the right time.”

Devvarman, who hasn’t lost a dual-meet match at No. 1 singles - and hasn’t lost a set in his last 10 matches - will be taking on sophomore Philip Stephens.

“He has a good serve-and-volley game,” said Virginia coach Brian Boland of the London native, “and good anticipation at the net.”

If FDU (located in Teaneck, N.J.) has any hopes of pulling off what would be a miraculous upset, it will likely need to win the opening doubles point.

“I think it’s the type of thing where if a couple of things go our way we can get some momentum,” Miller said. “Talent level usually wins out a little more in singles, but in doubles I think anything can happen.”

The scary thing for FDU is that Boland doesn’t believe Virginia has come close to playing its best tennis.

“I think we’re right where we need to be in terms of our mindset,” he said. “It’s as sharp as I’ve ever seen the team.”

Added Devvarman: “[FDU] is coming off a high because they just won their conference tournament, but we did too and are looking really sharp right now.”