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Seaso! Bv Rick Mohn Gamecock Staff Writer This time of year is always an emotional one on college campuses; old friends, roommates and lovers are all being separated for the summer ? or forever. Such is the case with a Carolina tennis team which did not quite live up to its expectations in 1979. But it was injuries, not a lack of effort, which Zm&m WMMMmmm : : : fgi%s*r . -,. >->v " V - - i J? The I Student C discount r sale durir XA/V^rln^cH I are 11 a.n i v SG windc House. c L_ n onrIc kept the Cocks out of the top twenty and the NCAA Championships. i "We really wish we had won bigger, but once Chuck Hodgin and Peter Macdonald were hurt and didn't play, we knew we were in trouble," head coach Ron Smarr said. Even with two of his top four 1 players out for most of the season, Smarr led his team to a 27-13 record. Despite the fact that this ^ r " W^v- ,?g-. Jr . -. ^^JfflSSraS wJSsSSSrSSS ?SBKsB^fc&:ws^3? if J; ?x tik Jt, $- U\W-- HWHHW A Discoum ;ater Tic! iovernment s novie tickets lg Summer J ays ONLY. S i. until 3 p.r v\\\ be sold _ . _ r* a rt _ >w, ursi iioo :ost: $2.15eac tennis 1 was not as stellar a slate as was expected (Tennis mneazinp niok^H the Cocks in their preseason top t An \ C 1 V"\ M?? Iitno r<-v M J! i,v,ii/, omen i was idi 1 ruin uisappointed. "Considering everything, we did very well. We beat Clemson and they're going to the NCAA's; we lost to seventh-ranked Tennessee by one stroke, and we finished second in our region with a 9-2 record," Smarr emphasized. "Our team attitude was very good all year; we played hard. In fact, because this team gave so much effort, I may have enjoyed this season even more than last vear." Barry Gilbert, one of only two seniors on the team, agreed with Smarr's assessment. "Hey, I enjoyed it ? we didn't have a great year, but we had a good one. And at least we Deal uiemson," Gilbert pointed out. "I would have liked to have done better personally (he finished 20-13 in singles) but we played a lot of matches against a really tough schedule." Whpn aclrpH \uViot thu hinWIinKt nf I v* ?ax/ia nu??V/V? ffllUV V1IV A1A 1111 ?>! 11 \Jl I his career at Carolina was, Gilbert answered quickly, "When I found out we made the NCAA tournament last year; it was in question for awhile, and it felt good to know we had made it." After graduation, Gilbert plans on "doing some traveling, playing some circuits, and then I guess I'll have to get serious about life." The other senior on the team has been a mainstav in thp linpnn pvor I ^ W since his arrival here. "Chris Mayotte, in my opinion, is the greatest tennis player ever at Carolina," Smarr said unequivocally. "He was AllAmerican twice, and he's got a good shot at it this year, despite kets I iDonsored i will be on 1 School on 1 1 y?x >?\ t 4 :. 1 KJC\VO IlUUIb M n. ONLY. I from the | r, Russell I ppim cp playing hurt the early part of the season. This may have been his best year ever, as a matter of fact, from the standpoint of mental toughness." When asked his impression of his senior season, Mayotte replied, "However corny this may sound, I ii icf ti?o nf f r\ oon f Uln " ? juoi nam iu ocj y niai lllld ICcJlll 13 (X great bunch of guys who all held together when things went bad for us. We were a little disappointed about our record, but we played hard and showed our character, and that's all that really counts." As the highlights of his career, Mayotte picked making the NCAA's as a team in 1978 and making All-American in 1977. With a 25-12 singles record and a 17-7 slate in doubles with Arthur A i 1 _ L- 1- - - 1 ? ' - r&ucibiuiHJuiu, ne is a sojia Dei 10 return to the NCAA championships for the final time in May. "I'm looking forward to it, because I really think I can win the singles title," Mayotte said. As for his J sib j ?iimwuir>i? ?1 |T?lBM B RHt | tHwIM " Hill CHECK OU 799r c Cf STL T ONI Renting furniture for a 3-roo 3 beers per day,* with our S RENTAL PLAN. I R ! Here's what you get One Sofa One Matching Two End Tables *One Cocl Fniir Mat^hinn ^ ? r . v,v. uiiqiio w wlltj l Drawers One Student Desk C Headboard, Mattress. Fc I A irvn^M * a >./k. IIVICIKVJLtAbt^ f UPNUURF PFNTAIS " c F itisfied future, "Tennis is definitely in it. I'll turn pro later in the summer, and if I'm not enjoying it in two years, I'll quit. But I like tennis, and someday you may see my name in the top 100." Before he stopped talking, Mayotte paid a tribute to the man who is Carolina tennis. "Of all the coaches in the United States, Ron Smarr is one of the best. He's a very dedicated man, and he gives his players a lot of his time. All of us, especially myself, appreciate him even more than he realizes. He's a great coach." Mayotte and Gilbert both played very well for Smarr in the last few years, helping boost his record at Carolina to an astounding 201-49. But in two weeks or so, the two players will leave Columbia, while the coach stays to field vet another powerful tennis team. This is, after all, the time of year when old friends must split up. ko'i? ir prices on SlISIlHgft | icessing & te'iismiiiilj \k film behind the Capitol 3807 . IDENTS 'The V Hassle-Free Way To Furnish M | Your Apartment" m apartment costs less than TUDENT FURNITURE $37,881 Furniture Rental 34 50 Damage Waiver Fee ? on Sales Tax 1 30 I Fr*e "Lhn by !h? Pkc?" T-Shlrt j with each fumltur* feat*. on a 4-month lease: 3 Chair Two Table Lamps ktail Table One Dinette and Dresser and Mirror or Chest of )ne 2-Drawer File One Bed with >undation and Bedframe j oonn ft Mi ii * oouo Millwood Avenue Phone: 799-6866 Hrs 9-6 Mon.-Fri., 10-5 Sal. 602 Bush River Rd. 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