In its first year under head coach Max Norris, Ball State women’s tennis set a school record for wins in the Mid-American Conference.
The team’s 6-2 mark, an improvement from last year’s record of 5-3, is the best single-season conference record in program history. Last weekend, Ball State concluded its season with a 6-1 win over Western Michigan, and now looks to carry momentum into the MAC Tournament.
Though the team enters as the No. 2 seed, Ball State enters the MAC Championship with more wins than any other team in the conference. There were key games that players said boosted their confidence throughout the season.
“After we beat Michigan State early we really started to feel that we could be a great team,” sophomore Ayaka Terashi said. “Then we beat Eastern Michigan for the first time in 24 years, then Bowling Green for the first time in eight, and even swept a MAC road weekend for the first time in 10 years.”
Ball State finished with a 16-8 record overall, improving from last season’s record of 14-10.
Junior Courtney Wild said the team has faced a lot of adversity through the year, which helped it grow closer and helped the team work on its strengths and weaknesses. Norris joined the team at the beginning of the Spring Semester after the team finished invitationals. His players said the time of Norris’ arrival did not hinder the transition.
“I think we have a great group of young women that really stepped up to the plate,” Wild said. “It’s hard for a coach to take over a team in the middle of a season. I’m pleased with our team results.”
Senior Kristel Sanders felt Norris also did well making sure the transition was easy for the team. Though the regular season is over, one last hurdle remains for the Cardinals: the MAC tournament.
“We have been very good this year; however, our goal is to be MAC champions, and we still haven’t achieved that,” Terashi said.
Last year, Ball State advanced to the semi-finals but lost to eventual champion Miami. This year, Ball State will face either Eastern Michigan or Bowling Green in semi-final play following a first-round bye.
The players are looking to bring home the first MAC title for the women’s tennis team in school history.
“We have the chance to beat every team in the MAC,” Sanders said. “We need to go out there with energy and fight hard.”
The MAC Championship begins Friday at Miami (OH) University. Ball State plays in the semi-finals on Saturday.
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