Tennis : Syracuse using lessons learned from past losses as motivation ahead of Big East tournament
Photo/Mark Nash
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Luke Jensen’s team has seen adversity before.
The SU tennis head coach and his players had plenty of hurdles to overcome throughout their remarkable regular season. Plagued by persistent injuries, the Orange will be shorthanded for its first Big East tournament match.
But Syracuse is still keen on what it needs to accomplish.
‘There is a sense of focus and a sense of urgency that this team has right now, and it’s because we only have six players on the roster,’ Jensen said. ‘No one can get hurt, and anyone who might be hurt has to play through the pain. Everybody knows they have to take personal responsibility to get ready to win.’
The No. 57 Orange (13-5, 6-2 Big East) returns to Tampa, Fla., for the first time since its humbling loss to South Florida in the season opener, and it will play the winner of the Louisville-Pittsburgh match Friday. Jensen said his team has made large strides of improvement since that frustrating defeat, stemming from its increased maturity and resilience. The Orange’s impressive regular season has instilled a confidence in the team heading into the tournament.
The season started on a low note as Jensen and his squad traveled down to Florida for a test against a fierce USF opponent. Syracuse came out flat and got run off the court, falling 5-2.
Now, SU will use the loss as another reminder of what it needs to do to ensure victory.
‘We all remember that match. It really hit us hard,’ freshman Amanda Rodgers said. ‘We had a lot on our mind going into that first match. But we’ve thought about that loss, and it has motivated us to work harder, especially in practice.’
Jensen watched as his players aggressively warmed up in practice under the Florida sun Wednesday. He could tell his players have grown significantly since that USF match, with each person taking responsibility for her effort on the court.
And as the Orange has continued to counter their struggles this season, Jensen’s team has also thrived on its potential for greatness.
SU’s historic 4-3 win against then-No. 25 Yale generated a confidence for the younger Orange players, like Rodgers, who were struggling to establish a consistent playing style earlier in the year.
Although it was just another game on the schedule, SU faced tough competition in the national spotlight, which Jensen said helped strengthen the team.
Now, the Orange is gearing up for the Big East tournament. The battle-tested team is mentally prepared after taking its bumps and bruises throughout the season, and these six players will strive to overcome another challenge in a do-or-die situation.
‘We’re a different team now, and its tournament time,’ senior Emily Harman said. ‘We’re a little banged up, and we’re facing some adversity, but we’ve been facing adversity all season, and we always come out on top.’