Caleb Zuver

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Articles

WOMEN'S TENNIS

ZUVER: Adversity shaped the legacy of the 2023 Ball State Women’s tennis team

By Caleb Zuver / May 16, 2023

Three different head coaches during the season. Multiple injuries. The first home loss in three years. A tall task of defending back-to-back Mid-American Conference (MAC) titles. That’s what the Ball State women’s women’s tennis team (22-4, 9-1 MAC) was faced with during the 2023 season. Despite all of that, it was one of the most historic seasons in program history, and covering every match for the Ball State Daily News taught me so much about how to deal with this thing called adversity.

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WOMEN'S TENNIS

Ball State’s season comes to an end in the first round of NCAA tournament

By Caleb Zuver / May 5, 2023

After a season that saw an incredible amount of success with some chaos mixed in, Ball State women’s tennis  (22-4) played in their final match of the season Friday. Making their third consecutive NCAA tournament appearance, the Cardinals were swept 4-0 by the Notre Dame Fighting Irish (16-10). For the third consecutive year, Ball State failed to put up a point in any of the matches. But, junior Masha Polishchuk, who was on the previous tournament teams, said that this match felt and played out differently than the other two.

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WOMEN'S TENNIS

Cardinals win third-consecutive MAC Championship

By Caleb Zuver / April 30, 2023

Ball State (22-3, 9-1 MAC) is headed to the NCAA tournament for the third-straight season after defeating the Toledo Rockets (20-4, 10-0 MAC) in the Mid-American Conference (MAC) championship Sunday. "It’s incredible. I’ve never been in this position before,” freshman Annika Planinsek said after the match. “It feels surreal, I can’t even process it right now. It’s an incredible feeling.”

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WOMEN'S TENNIS

Cardinals defeat Bulls, advance to MAC Tournament Championship

By Caleb Zuver / April 30, 2023

The Mid-American Conference (MAC) women’s tennis champions will get a chance to defend their crown Sunday and go back-to-back in the MAC Tournament. Ball State (21-3, 9-1 MAC) advanced to the MAC championship finals April 29  after defeating the Buffalo Bulls (20-9, 6-4 MAC) by a score of 4-0. 

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WOMEN'S TENNIS

Cardinals survive on the road against Miami (Ohio)

By Caleb Zuver / April 23, 2023

Ball State Women’s Tennis had to earn every point that they could get Sunday. The Cardinals (20-3, 9-1 MAC) faced off against the Miami (Ohio) Redhawks (11-13, 5-5 MAC) in the last match of the 2023 regular season. 

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MAC TOURNAMENT

Men's tennis season comes to an end in semifinals of MAC Tournament

By Caleb Zuver / April 22, 2023

The Cardinals were facing off against the Western Michigan Broncos (14-9, 8-2 MAC), a program that has won the last four MAC titles.  

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WOMEN'S TENNIS

Ball State grabs win on senior day

By Caleb Zuver / April 22, 2023

Ball State women’s tennis (19-3, 8-1 MAC) honored its seven seniors April 22 in its final home match of the 2022-23 season. Jessica Braun, Isabelle Behrman, Emily Desai, Amy Kaplan, Emma Peeler, Allison Mulville and Livia Lukacs were all recognized before the match for their efforts over the last four and five years.

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MEN'S TENNIS

“Gritty” performance keeps the Cardinals hot heading into postseason play

By Caleb Zuver / April 16, 2023

Having to dig out of a hole has been a common thread for Ball State (13-9, 5-5 MAC) in 2023. Whether it was within respective matches, or trying to recover from a 2-5 start in Mid-American Conference (MAC) play, they’ve been battling from behind for most of this season. After their 4-3 win Sunday over the Buffalo Bulls (9-8, 5-5 MAC), they’ve fought all the way back to claim a spot in the upcoming MAC tournament. 

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WOMEN'S TENNIS

Ball State extends win-streak to five, sweeps Northern Illinois

By Caleb Zuver / April 16, 2023

Ball State Women’s Tennis (18-3, 7-1 MAC) continued its dominant ways Sunday by sweeping the Northern Illinois Huskies (12-14, 2-6 MAC) for the second time this year. The scoreboard says that the Cardinals had no issues but assistant coach Rifanty Kahfiani explained that this was a much tougher one to get than the last time these teams matched up on March 31.

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MEN'S AND WOMEN'S TENNIS

Ball State's tennis teams cruise to conference wins

By Caleb Zuver / April 14, 2023

In order for a collegiate tennis match to take place outdoors, the temperature must be 50 degrees or higher, and sustained winds must be less than 20 miles per hour. Because of this, Ball State Men’s and Women’s tennis have been indoors for its home matches this season... both teams got to share the sunshine Friday as they each had 1 p.m matches at the Cardinal Creek Tennis Center in the team’s first home outdoor matches of the year.