The Ball State women’s tennis team faced Akron, falling 4-3.
Whether it was the self-affirmation or criticism, a roaring crowd or the balls smacking up against the net, the courts at the Northwest YMCA were all but quiet.
The No. 3 doubles were under increased pressure as they were the last to finish and seniors Paola Rodriguez and Lauren Pickrel were late-match heroes, winning the point.
“It was an adrenaline rush. We clenched the double’s point which was huge, because we’ve never beaten the No. 1 team in the MAC,” said Pickrel.
They had the excitement and momentum the entire game, signifying a good point with a scream and a fist pump to feed off of each other’s energy.
In singles play Courtney Wild played against one of the international twins for Akron, Angelina Jogasuria who called a point ‘out’ that was contested by Wild, coach Whitney Wilson, and audience members.
Immediately following there was a thick tension in the air.
Wild won a singles point along with Ayaka Terashi.
The Zips comprised of international players, reigning from South America, Ukraine and Thailand, save three.
The Cardinals look forward to the games tomorrow.
“We’ve worked too hard,” said Coach Christine Bader to her team.
The team competes tomorrow at 1 p.m. against Buffalo at the Northwest YMCA. The MAC championship is just a week away, and will be hosted at the Cardinal Creek Tennis Center.
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