“I expect everyone will contribute in different ways,” said Ryan Ray, head coach of the Eastern Michigan tennis team.
The team has a home meet against Ball State on March 30 and another the next day against Miami.
The Eagles’ overall record is 5-11 as they enter these two matches after a recent loss to Louisville.
“A focused week of practice is a must,” Ray said. “We had this last week prior to our victory against Toledo, and that will be imperative for our season.”
The Ball State Cardinals have an overall record of 5-9 heading into the meet against the Eagles. The Cardinals have been on a four-game losing streak and have not done well on the road.
Where singles are concerned, Sarah Hebble is the key player for Ball State. She has an overall record of 15-7 for the season. Lauren Pickrel has also done well in singles play with a record of 9-7.
The doubles team of Hebble and Ashlyn Rang has an overall record of 9-8, while the team of Dena Boulieris and Pickrel has a record of 8-8.
In order to defeat Ball State, the Eagles are going to have to work hard to defeat the Cardinals’ single players.
“Winning their match isn’t the only way to contribute,” Ray said. “A strong week of practice and
good support of teammates will go a long way in making contributions to a team victory.”
The Miami University RedHawks have a 7-9 overall record for the 2012 season. Miami has been on a two-game winning streak after defeating Akron and Buffalo.
Christine Guerrazzi has an overall singles record of 15-9 and Christiana Raymond has a record of 13-6. Both have been doing well overall and will be tough to beat.
The doubles team of Guerrazzi and Riekie Honiball has a 6-3 record while the team of Stephanie Danesis and Alix Thurman has a record of 4-2.
“We can use more consistency in our results from top to bottom in the lineup,” Ray said. “Our doubles has been good lately and if it continues to improve, we can get important momentum in our matches by starting with the doubles point.”
If the Eagles can defeat Ball State and Miami’s doubles, they might just be able to pull off wins this weekend.
Both games will begin at 1 p.m. at the Chippewa Club.
