Regular season matches are when wins and losses really count, but once you put "conference" in the title of a tournament it doesn't matter if it's the preseason or deep into regular season play.
Ball State University women's tennis coach Kathy Bull said the Ball State Invitational earlier this season was relaxed, but the Mid-American Conference Fall Invitational in Kalamazoo, Mich., this weekend will be more like a regular season match.
"Since we get to play outside due to the nice weather, our freshmen get a chance to feel what it will be like to play a conference match outdoors," Bull said. "In the Midwest, we usually don't get that luxury until March."
Along with the fair weather the MAC Fall Invitational, at Western Michigan University, will be played on 20 new courts.
Freshman Kylee Johnson said the new courts are great and play well to her style of play, but going back and forth from inside to outside is tough.
"We started outdoors for the beginning of the preseason and then practiced a bit indoors for last week, but now we are back outside," Johnson said. "It's hard to transition from one to another that quickly."
Western Michigan, the University at Buffalo and Miami University are the three teams that look to be the top of this tournament and in the regular season, Bull said.
Western Michigan ended last year's season ranked 53rd in the nation, seventh in the Midwest, and has returning MAC Player of the Year Kerstin Pahl. Pahl went 8-0 in her last outing at the Bronco Invitational.
Buffalo, however, beat the Broncos in the MAC Championships last year and brings back a roster this year led by senior Smaranda Stan. Stan was named MVP of the MAC Championship last year and was also on the all tournament team with Pahl.
Bull said Miami would also be a contender throughout the season and this invitational. The RedHawks have a few players attending the MAC Fall Invitational with the other part of the team competing in the Midland Invitational in Texas.
Bull said when players sign on with the Ball State program they are told they are going to play some tough competition in the MAC.
"We can't get intimidated out there against some of the tougher competition," Bull said. "It's a challenge to get better, and playing tougher teams and matches is how we are going to get better."
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