After a 6-1 victory against IPFW Wednesday, coach Kathy Bull hopes her team's play can carry into its two matches this weekend against the University of Cincinnati and Michigan State University.
It won't be easy. Cincinnati (3-2) is much improved from last year, when the Cardinals (2-2) defeated the Bearcats 6-1. Cincinnati beat Miami University 5-2 in its second match this season, something Ball State has done only once in its last 31 matches against the Redhawks.
Bull said this is as close as Ball State will get to a conference match before opening Mid-American Conference play March 23.
"I want to get my team in a close match and see how they respond," she said. "You look at my lineup and I got an awful lot of young players. [The match] is a great indicator of what we have to do in the future."
Only two of Cincinnati's six singles players competed in the match last spring -¡- No. 4 singles player Elizabeth Young and No. 5 Jenny Rowen. Young played No. 1 singles last year and lost to Jessica Thompson 7-6, 6-1, while Rowen fell 6-1, 6-2 to Jennifer Pollack.
"A lot of [Cincinnati's] motivation is to prove to the people they played the previous year that they didn't see the true Cincinnati," Bull said. "They're gritty and they're fighters."
A matchup of undefeated players will take place at No. 6 singles with Ball State's freshman Christine Stromberg (4-0) taking on Jennifer Keiner (2-0).
Bull said there's a chance Stromberg might move up from No. 6 singles to No. 5 against Michigan State (5-0) Sunday. Sophie Quist and Haly Calderwood will most likely change positions against the Spartans as well, with Quist moving to No. 1 singles and Calderwood to No. 2.
Quist said jumping to No. 1 singles would be difficult.
"Mentally, starting the season at No. 3 [singles] and getting a few wins builds your confidence," Quist said. "The No. 1's are obviously the best and most experienced at the other schools. To win a match at that level is very difficult. It takes a lot of mental preparation."
Sunday's match against Michigan State will provide multiple challenges. Along with playing a Big Ten Conference foe, Bull said the fast surface in East Lansing, Mich. would be tough to adjust to.
"We have had a difficult time matching up with Michigan State in the past, especially up there," she said. "The ball is flying in there. We're going to try and hit Saturday night for an hour. It's the fastest surface we'll play on all year."-á
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