After nearly a four-month layoff from sanctioned competition, the Ball State University men's tennis team will return to action Sunday against Northwestern University to begin their spring season.
"We're just trying to take things a match at a time," coach Bill Richards said. "It is a difficult situation facing a good Big Ten team on the road to start. We haven't been able to practice over break, so it will be a big responsibility on the players to be disciplined."
With only a handful of practices to prepare before Sunday's match, the responsibility falls on the players to be ready both physically and emotionally.
"After a few practices I don't really know how much we have progressed," Richards said. "I have been pleased with what I've seen with their fitness level, but it is difficult to play a great match after a short week."
Along with the physical battles, Richards realizes his team will have some challenging matchups with Northwestern as well.
"They are a top 35 or 40 team in the nation, so we are a decided underdog," Richards said. "We will approach it from an individual standpoint, play our matches, and go from there."
Despite all the hindrances that may occur, Richards is not taking the challenges as an excuse.
"Every team is going in relying on their players to be prepared," Richards said. "We will go out there and compete and do the best we can."
In particular, Richards is looking for two players — Eduardo Pavia and Cliff Morrison — to step up and start to show themselves as consistent threats.
"Big responsibility comes with being at the top of the lineup," Richards said. "But they will be our go to guys."
For Richards, Northwestern is just the first step in the season and says he has the same goals for this year as any other.
"We have the same goals we shoot for every year," Richards said. "We are looking to win the Mid-American Conference tournament, make it to the NCAA tournament and become nationally-ranked."
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