The men’s and women’s tennis teams both fell to Oklahoma Christian University last Thursday 0-9 and 2-7 respectively on Feb. 14. Head coach David Elliott said the women won two matches with one single and one double while the men did not win any.
“The match did not come out the way we wanted,” Elliott said. “I thought we competed very hard and the kids played well. We had two really close matches, but they (Oklahoma Christian) are defending national champions and one of the best college teams around and we were unable to beat them.”
According to senior Helio Hashimoto, this level of competition will strengthen the teams despite the loss.
“The match was tough, but it was good practice for us,” Hashimoto said. “The season is just starting so it’s important to have a good match to prepare for the other ones.”
The next day, the men’s and women’s tennis teams both defeated John Brown University 9-0 in Little Rock on Feb 15. Currently, the women’s team is 3-3 and the men’s team is 4-3.
According to Elliott, the Bisons have a very challenging schedule this month as they are playing nationally ranked teams such as University of the Ozarks on Feb. 27. In the midst of challenging matches, Elliott said he tries to preach one message: consistency.
“Tennis is such an intense sport,” Elliott said. “It doesn’t matter how hard you hit it or how well you hit it. If it doesn’t go in enough you are going to lose. That’s what we try to emphasize. We’ve got to be consistent and keep the ball in play regardless.”
Sophomore Maria Moreno said she also emphasizes everyday practices on the court because it results in better physical fitness and mentality, which will help the athletes stay focused during the matches.
“We get here and we warm up,” Moreno said. “We play either a set of doubles or tie-breakers and then finish with conditioning every day.”
Tomorrow, both the Bisons and the Lady Bisons will take on Rhodes College at 1:30 p.m. in Little Rock. The Bisons have played against Rhodes since the 1960s. Elliott said Rhodes is a very competitive Division III school and every time the Bisons have faced them in the past, it has been a very close match.
“I believe the last time we played was probably three or four years ago,” Elliott said. “We had very close matches with both men’s and women’s teams so they will be a very solid team and we will have to play well to beat them.”
Moreno and Hashimoto said the season is going well and they hope to win their conference matches later this season, since February matches are not part of the conference but serve as preparations for the GAC.
“Our women’s tennis team has a chance to be as good as any of the women’s teams in the GAC,” Elliott said. “There are about five real solid tennis teams with Arkansas Tech being the favorite. East Central Oklahoma, South East Oklahoma, and Ouachita Baptist are good teams as well.”
