As the Ball State University men's tennis team plays rival Western Michigan University on Saturday, the match will mean one thing to senior Danny Vidal.
"It's all about revenge," Vidal said. "They got the best of us the last three times we've played. Both sides know this match is for the [Mid-American Conference] championship."
The Cardinals lost to the Broncos in the MAC championship game last season, a detail, Vidal said, the team has not forgotten.
Despite Ball State's subpar .500 record compared to years past, the Cardinals are 2-0 in conference play. Western Michigan is the winner of its last six straight and holds a 16-7 record coming into Saturday's contest.
"Everyone needs to play well for the first time this year," head coach Bill Richards said. "We've had certain players play well, but not on the same day. As a team we need to click and run on all cylinders."
Richards said this rivalry is based on the history of the teams. Since 1998, Ball State and Western Michigan have been the teams competing for the conference championship each season. This constant rivalry at high levels has put the two teams against each other, Richards said.
"We play each other every year for the MAC, so it always goes down to the wire," Richards said. "It always comes down to who can handle tight situations better will win the match."
Ball State will also play the University at Buffalo on Sunday in its first home match since March 8 against IUPUI.
"It's been a long year," Vidal said. "We've been all over the country. Playing at home will be exciting, especially since it's my last home stand."
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