Coach Kathy Bull stressed to her Ball State University women's tennis team the importance of starting the season with a victory.
Initially, it didn't look like a possibility as the Cardinals came out sluggish in the beginning of doubles play Wednesday against Wright State University. But Bull's players overcame the lull - winning all three doubles matches - as Ball State cruised to a 6-1 victory.
"That's what you want your first match to be." Bull said. "It should get us a little bit of confidence and get us to relax a little bit before our next two matches."
The Cardinals won five of the six singles matches, all in straight sets.
Leading the way for Ball State was Jennifer Pollack. The junior started by teaming up with Christine Stromberg to win their doubles match 8-4.
Then in singles play, Pollack won the first set 6-0 and took a 3-0 lead in the second. Wright State's Audra Beckett rallied to make it 3-2a, but Pollack won the next three games to close out the match 6-2. Pollack used her serve and forehand to take control, and forced Beckett into several unforced errors.
"I felt pretty good on the court," Pollack said. "[The first match] is more about just getting consistency down and your nerves out. It's also more about you and keeping your focus than worrying about what your opponent is doing on the court."
The only setback was in No. 1 singles, where Haly Calderwood was defeated in straight sets by Tiffani Foster 6-2, 6-4. Calderwood battled a cold the past couple days and it showed. Calderwood was a step slow throughout the match and couldn't put her first serve into play.
"She just wasn't her energetic, athletic self today," Bull said. "She just couldn't get herself on track and find any rhythm. Finally, a little bit in the second set I saw her step up, more out of anger than anything else."
In her first match as a Cardinal, Sophie Quist won both of her contests. Quist teamed up with Calderwood to win her doubles match 8-6 and defeated Karina Presti 6-1, 6-0 at No. 3 singles. There is a possibility Quist could move up in the lineup when the Cardinals play DePaul University Sunday, Bull said.
Emma Retter, playing her first-ever match at No. 4 singles, won 6-4, 6-3. Polina Askerko (6-0, 6-0) and Stromberg (6-1, 6-0) also defeated their opponents easily.
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