The men’s tennis head coach said it isn’t about the results, it’s about the process, after a loss to the No. 23 Clemson Tigers on Friday at the Bayard H. Friedman Tennis Center.With the goal of competing in conference, head coach Dave Borelli said he wants the team to continue getting stronger.

Borelli said that strength is not measured merely by physicality.

Players should be capable of level-headed competition without getting down on themselves or one other and by using their hearts.

“We need to be tougher,” Borelli said.

The Frogs, who were ranked No. 36 going into the match, won two out of three doubles matches. In the center court, junior Cosmin Cotet and sophomore Kriegler Brink upset Clement Reix and Ryan Young, 8-6. The duo of graduate student Chris Biro and freshman Caleb Bulls secured the doubles team’s victory by defeating Gera Boryachinskiy and Carlos Alvarez 8-4.

Borelli said he was pleasantly surprised by Bulls’ play in the doubles match.

“He was an animal,” Borelli said.

Cotet didn’t let No. 46 Reix win easily as he battled him to a loss in the first set tiebreaker 7-3. He won the second set 6-3, but dropped the final two sets as well as the match.

“(Reix) played well, and I couldn’t break him,” Cotet said.

Cotet showed great character and kept his cool even in a loss, Borelli said.

The other five players fell in straight sets to their Clemson opponents.

Biro said playing highly ranked teams is a challenge; however, the team always strives to maintain consistency.

“This is a good start for us,” Cotet said.

While Borelli said fatigue was not an issue in this match, he said he wants to create a culture of tough mentality.

“I want warriors,” Borelli said.

The Horned Frogs’ next match is Feb. 7 against the UT Arlington Mavericks in Arlington.