SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — The University of San Diego men's tennis program has a new benchmark for success after the Toreros reached the first Sweet 16 in program history last weekend.
The milestone came Saturday afternoon in front of hundreds of fans as USD eliminated UCLA in the second round of the NCAA Tournament at the Hogan Tennis Center on campus. It was the seventh time head coach Ryan Keckley had reached that same ceiling in his 11 years leading the program — and the first time he broke through it.
The clinching moment came when senior Stian Klaasan won his singles match in a second-set tiebreak.
"Stian, winning the final point, just kind of putting his hands behind his head — very different from winning the WCC when he took his shirt off, slammed his hat down, and the guys rushed him. It was just kind of a moment of clarity," Keckley told ABC 10News.
Klaasan said the magnitude of the moment took a second to sink in.
"I couldn't believe it. I looked around. I looked at the crowd, tried to soak it all in. I just had a big smile on my face," Klaasan said.
The victory sends USD to Austin, Texas, on Friday to face No. 2 national seed Texas. For a program that just reached new heights, the Toreros are not treating the trip as a reward.
"Well, we're here now. We might as well just go all the way," Klaasan said.
Keckley echoed that mindset.
"We're going to Texas, and we're not complacent. It's a conversation I'll have with the team about making sure we understand there's still a lot to gain," Keckley said.
Klaasan said he is approaching the matchup with clear-eyed confidence.
"I'm expecting a war. The tennis doesn't change, maybe the opponent do, but the ball doesn't," Klaasan said.
Keckley said the team's approach will remain the same regardless of the opponent.
"We'll play the ball. We'll swing freely. We'll play our brand of tennis, and we'll let the chips fall where they fall," Keckley said.
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