After a tough loss last week, this weekend will be a chance to get back on the right track for the Vandal women’s tennis team. Idaho plays three matches in three days, all close to home, at 7 p.m. Friday in Lewiston and at 8:30 a.m and 1:30 p.m. Sunday in Pullman.
The team has put its Jan. 19 loss to WSU behind it and taken positive lessons away from the experience.
“What we have done is taken what we learned from that loss and they have forgotten about that match already … and move forward and use it this weekend,” coach Daniel Pollock said.
Senior captain Molly Knox said the matchup was a good check for the team and that the players realize it was only the second match of the season.
“No one really played bad. It was just nerves,” Knox said. “So I think in these next few matches we will be able to start letting loose and just stepping up our game.”
She said practices have focused on playing a lot of points and getting more comfortable on the court. The team also worked on hitting the ball deeper and getting up to the ball afterward.
Pollock said the women had to work on playing more aggressively, coming out strong and taking control.
“We have to impose our rhythm on them and not let them impose their rhythm on us,” Pollock said.
Idaho will have to keep that rhythm all weekend as it faces three tough teams, starting with Seattle University in Lewiston. Pollock said Idaho should be the favorite coming into the match, but that Seattle is a scrappy team that it won’t take lightly.
“Coming out of high school none of them are very highly ranked but they are very well coached, they are in good position in doubles most of the time and in singles they don’t stop trying and they are really difficult to play,” Pollock said.
The Vandals will rest Saturday for two matches Sunday, beginning with a regional matchup against Montana in Pullman.
Knox said the team knows Montana is a regional team Idaho would love to beat.
“They looked good in the fall but I think we will have some really good matchups against them,” Knox said. “Last year we lost to them 3-4 and a really close one so I think we will be able to turn that around this time.”
Pollock said Montana is a deep team, all the way down, with some quality players.
“We have seen them all fall and we know that it should be a real tight match and whoever shows up on the day and plays the best tennis out of the two teams will win,” Pollock said.
After a short recess, Idaho will play the last match of the weekend against Portland State. Pollock said PSU is similar to Seattle as far as not being highly ranked, but scrappy and well-coached. He said it will be crucial to stay stretched and start quickly.
“We are going to be tight after Montana so if we slow down at all, it’s going to be a long afternoon,” Pollock said.
He said Idaho consistently beats Seattle and PSU, and that it would be disappointing to drop either of those matches this season. The team is also confident it can beat Montana, but Pollock said it will have to play at a high level to come out on top.
Pollock said three matches in a weekend makes for a long weekend, but the team understands it’s time to return to winning.
“It is important for the girls to have a good weekend this weekend and put them in a good mood going in to Boise next week, because we all know we want to kick their butts,” Pollock said.