Because of injuries to key members of the Ball State University women's tennis team and the overall health of the team, coach Kathy Bull decided the team would not compete in the scheduled Intercollegiate Tennis Association Fall Regional this weekend.
Bull made the decision earlier this week not to attend the tournament.
The decision came after another key player is out with an injury for an extended amount of time. Sophomore Georgina Thomson had a meniscus injury and underwent surgery this week.
On top of that, freshman Sarah Hebble is experiencing tennis elbow and sophomore Hayley Hall has not been able to compete because of back surgery earlier this year.
Bull said Thomson's injury causing her not to be able to play was not necessarily the deciding factor not to go to the meet, but the team's health as a whole was.
"We are not 100 percent right now, and you have to be 100 plus to get good experience from the ITA Regional," Bull said.
Rather than sending a couple of players to the ITA Fall Regional in East Lansing, Mich., Bull and the Cardinals are planning on setting up a small match at Ball State the weekend of Oct. 31.
Bull said other Midwest teams are facing similar problems that Ball State is having, which she says will make it tough to set up a match with such limited time.
"Having to compete in three weekends in a row caused us some overuse injuries, and there are other teams out there experiencing some of the same issues," Bull said.
DePaul University, IUPUI and Miami University are currently on the list of teams that might come and compete at the match at Ball State.
Although the Cardinals won't compete at the ITA Regional event there are benefits in playing another match, Bull said.
"Unlike at the ITA Regional, everyone could participate if we have another meet here, not just a few players," Bull said. "We'll just get more time for competing and more understanding for spring."
Bull said it's going to be tough, but she is hoping that things will work out to get enough teams and players here to get some matches in before the end of the fall season.
"It was hard to think that if we don't get some kind of match in place that we wouldn't be competing again until January," Bull said. "We don't want that if all possible."
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