Tennis : SU looks for better performance in season’s second road trip
Luke Jensen hopes his Syracuse team learned some lessons from the last time it played on the road this season. In that match, the second of the season, Maryland dealt the Orange a 7-0 blow that shocked Jensen.
For the head coach, that can’t happen again as SU makes its second road trip of the season this weekend to Boston University.
‘We’re not going into Boston and playing like garbage and expecting to win,’ Jensen said. ‘I think the lessons learned at Maryland are going to help us at Boston University.’
Nearly three weeks after Maryland and riding a six-game winning streak, Syracuse (7-1, 3-0) will take on the Terriers (4-2) at 9 a.m. Sunday.
SU’s No. 6 singles player, Simone Kalhorn, recognizes what needs to change from the last time Syracuse played on the road.
In Kalhorn’s mind, the Orange simply did not come to play against Maryland.
‘We have to bring our big game,’ Kalhorn said. ‘I think we’re keying in on it, so it will bring out our best tennis for sure.’
The Orange is determined to ensure history doesn’t repeat itself. The bitter taste of the team’s first loss has subsided, and Jensen has altered the starting lineup to prepare the team to face yet another quality opponent.
Since SU faced the Terrapins, Emily Harman has moved from the No. 3 to the No. 2 singles position. Kalhorn now regularly plays at the No. 6 singles spot. She was not in the lineup when Syracuse faced Maryland three weeks ago.
‘We have more experience in that lineup than we did before,’ Jensen said.
The Terriers are the reigning America East champions, which allowed the team to qualify for the NCAA tournament a year ago. No. 1 singles player Stefanie Nunic will likely challenge Alessondra Parra on Sunday.
Nunic and doubles partner Vivien Laszloffy combine to form the No. 10 ranked doubles team in the region. But despite all of the accolades, Jensen isn’t impressed.
There may be no regionally ranked player for Syracuse, but Jensen said that fact is deceiving. Syracuse players do not participate in any regional tournaments.
‘We don’t play regional tournaments. We play world-ranked WTA tournaments,’ Jensen said. ‘If we wanted to be college-ranked, I wouldn’t be here. Dr. Gross wants me to develop professional players, Americans only.’
The Terriers have an advantage on their home court. Similar to Syracuse, Boston has yet to lose at home this season (4-0).
But Harman feels the combination of the SU freshmen gaining experience during the team’s six-game homestand and the early-season road trip will enable the Orange to overcome Boston’s home-court advantage.
‘I think it’s good for our freshmen that we had this home stretch here,’ Harman said. ‘Just so they can get more of their feet wet before you go out in more of a volatile arena. If anything, it gets us pumped up and extra focused.’
Jensen feels close contests with Binghamton and Georgetown can only add to his team’s confidence on the road. Since overcoming a 3-2 deficit against Binghamton, SU has dropped just two individual matches in four contests.
Jensen sees the match with the Bearcats as a turning point in the season. The match spurred a swagger among his players, as well as a tidal wave of momentum to engulf his team.
‘Every time you step on the court in competition, it’s just another battle scar that you will carry forward,’ Jensen said. ‘If you get that refuse-to-lose attitude and you can develop that mindset, you’re very dangerous.’
For the first time this season, the Orange will play just one match over the span of the weekend. SU will finally have the opportunity to have a full week of practice before traveling to Boston.
‘We haven’t been playing our best tennis,’ Harman said. ‘I think this is a fantastic week for us to hone in on the things that we’ve been lacking on in the last couple matches and make sure those things are set for this weekend.’
