Bill Richards said a lot of players would see playing time this weekend, and he wasn't kidding. Ten Ball State players -- including transfer Tony Epkey and freshmen Jimmy Brannon and Jan Polhamus -- saw action as the Cardinals swept IUPUI and Valparaiso at home to open the season.
"I felt we had a good day," Richards said. "I felt that everyone came out and didn't take either team lightly, which we always talk about as something to worry about when you face teams that are not quite as good as the Big Ten teams you're going to face over the next couple weeks."
In the early match against IUPUI, the Cardinals started out strong in doubles, with the No. 56 doubles tandem of Matt Baccarani and Patrick Thompson scoring an 8-1 win. Klint Knable and Paul Newman won 8-2 in the second slot, while Mike Heule and Brannon scored an 8-3 victory.
In singles Matt Laramore moved up to the top spot and led the Cardinals in the sweep of those matches. Epkey made his Ball State debut in the second slot and scored a 6-0, 6-1 win. Newman, Thompson, Brad Rhodes and Polhamus rounded out the lineup with straight-set wins.
After a break, the Cardinals got back into action against Valparaiso. The doubles lineups saw a completely new look, with Rhodes and Epkey taking the top spot, Laramore and Newman starting in the second spot and Thompson and Polhamus starting in the third spot.
Baccarani returned to singles action against the Crusaders, scoring a 6-3, 6-3 win. Again, no one dropped a set as Laramore, Knable, Heule, Brannon and Polhamus rounded out the lineup.
The Cardinals will return to action next weekend against the No. 5 Illinois. The Illini have four nationally ranked singles players and a nationally ranked doubles team. They are the first of four Big Ten schools the Cards face.
"I feel a lot more confident (about the next few weeks) than I would have had we not had these two matches under our belt," Richards said. "I think it helps to get everyone some play. I don't think there's a lot you can do to prepare for what we have ahead of us over the next few weeks, but that's our choice, and that's the schedule we want to play."
Read More
Three Air Jam teams take home the win
October 12, 2012Nineteen teams shimmied, shook and flipped for a sold out John R. Emens Auditorium on Thursday night during the 25th annual Air Jam.
Bill Clinton Speaks at North Central High School
October 12, 2012Former President's Speech Could Have Effect on State Senate Race
