Cyclones focusing on basics while preparing for weekend matches

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Photo: Grace Steenhagen/Iowa Sta

Marie-Christine Chartier gets ready for the serve from the Kansas State player against the Wildcats on Friday, April 13. Chartier and Simona Cacciuttolo were partners for the match in doubles play and went on to win with a final of 8-5. The event took place indoors at the Ames Racquet and Fitness due to weather conditions.

Michael Schmitt

Going into the last two meets of the regular season, the ISU tennis team has some momentum.

After a 6-1 win against Kansas and a close 4-3 loss to Kansas State, the Cyclones (4-16, 1-7 Big 12) are preparing for Texas Tech and Baylor this weekend.

The team really is not doing much differently in terms of preparing for the meets.

“At this point in the season it’s really just grooving and making sure we feel our shots are good,” said ISU senior Marie-Christine Chartier. “There isn’t that much tactical that we’re going to change at this point, just make sure we feel good when we hit it.”

ISU coach Armando Espinosa said the team is also done changing the doubles lineups.

“We’re just going to focus on what we’ve been working on,” Espinosa said. “We’re finally getting to the point where we’re set on the doubles teams.”

In the match against Kansas, which was Iowa State’s first conference win of the season, the Cyclones did something that they have been struggling with for most of the season: holding onto a lead.

“We did a great job not letting them come back and the win came our way.” Espinosa said. “There was only one match that went three sets and everything else went kind of our way.”

ISU freshman Meghan Cassens also said the team needs to adapt to playing outside again.

“[We’ll work on] being able to handle the wind,” Cassens said. “We play well inside but it’s hard to adjust outside, especially being in Texas because it gets really windy.”

Chartier felt like this was one of the first matches when all the players came ready to play.

“Everyone showed up, just every single match people were fired up and they were intense and there wasn’t a match that you felt like someone just didn’t show up,” Chartier said. “Everyone was there and cheering and even players 1-12, everyone was there. And it was early but we just took care of business.”

But against Kansas, it wasn’t all positives: The Cyclones lost the doubles point after winning the No. 2 spot and having a 6-4 lead in the No. 3 spot.

“At the same time, we still want to have a little bit of pressure, we still need to learn to play under pressure and don’t just let them slide by us as much,” Espinosa said.

The Cyclones will travel to Texas to take on Texas Tech at 1 p.m. Sunday and Baylor at 5 p.m. Monday.