The Ball State University women's tennis team came into Saturday's match looking for answers, but it may have left only asking itself more questions.
The team was soundly beaten by the University of Cincinnati, 6-1, extending its losing streak to four matches. Now with a 4-5 record, the Cardinals have fallen under .500 for the first time this season.
Ball State began the day already at a disadvantage after No. 1 singles player Hayley Hall was sidelined due to an injury she described as "pre-cautionary." Her injury moved each player up a spot in the match, putting sophomore Dena Boulieris in the No. 1 singles match.
Unfortunately for the Cardinals, they had no luck in overcoming Hall's absence.
Ball State started off poorly, losing the doubles point 2-1. The No. 3 tandem of junior Katherine Rist and sophomore Kylee Johnson claimed the only victory in doubles for the team, winning 8-2.
Ball State didn't fare much better in the singles matches. Bouileris struggled against Cincinnati's Safiyya Ismail, losing 6-2, 6-1. The only singles win of the day for the Cardinals came from freshman Lauren Pickrel, who won 6-1, 6-3 at the No. 6 spot.
Meanwhile, Hall could only cheer on her teammates from the sidelines and hope for the best.
"It was tough," she said. "We had a pretty slow start and a slow finish. [Coach Amy Behrman] just wants to see more fight out of us."
The team will have another chance to regroup and earn a victory Friday against the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay. Hall said that the team has to find a way to regain its focus before then.
"I think for everybody in the lineup, hopefully this will be an eye-opener." Hall said. "Maybe we'll realize we need to step it up as a group."
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