A complete game requires both strength and finesse, and for men’s tennis doubles team senior Taylor Borda and junior Josh Rifkin, their complementary play styles and confidence in each other has resulted in recognition at the national level.

Competing at the Intercollegiate Tennis Association Small College National Championships last weekend in Mobile, Ala., Borda and Rifkin defeated the Carnegie Mellon University team to finish in third place. With this victory, Borda and Rifkin became the first players in Ithaca College men’s tennis history to receive All-American honors — a feat that Head Coach Bill Austin said reflects both players’ poise and commitment to the sport.

“I’m proud of these guys whether they [win] or not,” Austin said. “The way they compete and handle themselves on the court and the way they represent the college and the team, I’m proud of them regardless.”

Both players acknowledged the thrill associated with being the team’s first players to receive the honors.

“It’s a great feeling,” Rifkin said. “It’s pretty exciting knowing no one else has ever done that.”

Playing doubles together for the second consecutive season, Borda and Rifkin used their level of familiarity with each other’s game to stay composed and optimistic about their outcome on the national stage.

“We were going to nationals, and [Borda] put it as ‘icing on the cake,’” Rifkin said. “We just wanted to be in the moment and have fun, and doing that really helped us.”

Staying focused on the moment and understanding each other’s role on the court is an important part of their chemistry.

“The combination of [Rifkin’s] instinctive doubles skills and my ground strokes really complement our strengths and weaknesses chemistry-wise,” Borda said.

Working with incorporating Borda’s powerful backline hitting game to complement Rifkin’s expert placement at the net is something that Austin views as a significant contributor to their continued success.

“Taylor’s back there, and he’s pounding … and Josh is up there just creating,” Austin said. “So it’s the old hammer and chisel theory. It can work well, and in this sense it worked great.”

As roommates, in addition to being teammates, Borda and Rifkin have learned what to anticipate and expect from each other’s selfless approach to the game.

“When [Rifkin] is at the net, I have a lot of confidence that he’ll make the right move and take the right ball off of my shot,” Borda said.

Rifkin recognizes that some of his opportunities are the direct result of what his counterpart has contributed.

“[Taylor’s] ground strokes set up a lot of my volleys,” Rifkin said. “I just have to wait. He can hit it just as hard, if not harder than anyone playing doubles, and it works out pretty well.”

Before the start of their spring season, Borda and Rifkin will prepare for the Empire 8 competition. Even though conference opponents may appear easier than those at the national level, Austin said the tandem should expect competition.

“You can always expect it when you have that kind of success,”

Austin said. “The next team is going to bring their best game and fire it at you and see what you got. They’re going to have to be very ready.”