MUNCIE, Ind — Ball State Men’s Tennis played their home opener for the 2025 indoor season on Saturday. The Cardinals hosted the Dayton Flyers at the Northwest YMCA. Despite the Cards quickly getting the doubles point, the Flyers fought back into the match, keeping the six singles matches close.
Ball State secured the match win 5-2, bringing their record back an even 2-2. Senior Nathaniel Webster lost his singles match but is more focused on the team's success.
Webster said that despite not getting the desired result, he cares more about the team's success than his personal record. The team's first mentality will lead the Cards in their preparation for the coming weekend. The team will face Eastern Illinois on Friday and Butler on Saturday. Both matches will be played at home.
"Every match is a tough match,” Webster said. “It’s really about us; if we play our best tennis, we have a great chance to win.”
College tennis is a high-energy affair with more crowd interaction than at the professional level. The Cards feed off the crowd energy and had a great crowd at the match on Saturday.
“It fires you up; it keeps you going,” Webster said. “Sometimes you get a little tired, so it gives you a little adrenaline.”
Even Coach Richards enjoys the excitement of the crowd. He complimented the crowd on Saturday and hopes to see more fans this Friday and Saturday.
“Eastern Illinois is a team that we have traditionally beaten in the past,” Richards said. “Butler is a more intense rivalry, but we have already talked about not overlooking Eastern Illinois.”
Last season, the Cards beat both upcoming opponents. Richards and his squad look to repeat those wins this weekend. The first serve for both matches is at 1 p.m. at the Northwest YMCA in Muncie.
Contact Josh Gabbard with comments at joshua.gabbard@bsu.edu.
