In both matches this weekend, the ISU tennis team lost the doubles point.

The team lost one meet — 4-3 to Kansas State on Friday — but won the next.

The key was what the Cyclones (4-16, 1-6 Big 12) did differently in the second meet after falling behind 1-0 against Kansas (9-11, 0-8).

“We are better singles players, but today I think the big difference was that we were ready to play,” said ISU assistant coach Rod Puebla. “They knew they had a chance to win and they took it. There were times when Kansas tried to come back, but we didn’t let them do it.”

The Cyclones rallied from being down 1-0 to win all six singles matches. The 6-1 win against the Jayhawks was the Cyclones’ largest margin of victory in a conference game since tennis took up the seven-point scoring system in 2001.

“When we were playing doubles, we got a little tight, but doubles were starting to play better and find our matchups and our teams,” Puebla said. “We were up 6-4 in the No. 3 spot and we lost that match and lost the doubles point. They came out very strong after doubles; they all took care of singles and won all six first sets.”

It was also the last home meet for ISU seniors Maria Fernanda Macedo, Marie-Christine Chartier, Tessa Lang and Chelsea Loprinzi.

“We lost a lot of close matches and we finally took some weight off our shoulders,” Macedo said. “We know we can beat other teams and it finally happened.”

Chartier, Meghan Cassens and Simona Cacciuttolo went 2-0 in singles play during both home meets. Cacciuttolo won her third straight match and Chartier and Cassens won their third out of the last four meets.

“We have so many close matches and we can tell them what they need to do, but if they don’t apply it on the court, it’s tough for them,” Puebla said. “Their confidence right now is going to be big going into next weekend.”

Cacciuttolo and Chartier also won their third consecutive doubles match since being paired together a few weeks ago.

It was the Cyclones’ first conference win in seven tries, and the losing streak was in the back of the players’ minds since it started.

“It for sure takes some of the pressure off because we were 0-6 and we at least needed one win, but we’re not just going to stop there,” Macedo said. “We’re going to try to win at least against Texas Tech and hopefully we can place in the Big 12 tournament.”