The No. 27 Virginia women's tennis team returns to action this weekend against in-state rival No. 71 Virginia Tech.
The Cavaliers are entering Sunday's road match having split their last two matches. They lost 5-2 to then-No. 29 Virginia Commonwealth but battled back the next day to beat then-No. 28 Marshall 6-1. The mixed performance has left the Virginia squad with a lot to digest.
"With VCU, we came in and we knew that they we're going to be a team that sometimes they show up and they're all there and they're really ready to compete, and some days they're a little off," said sophomore Emily Fraser. "It was definitely a heartbreaker for us to lose that one. We had our chances, but we lost the doubles point, and they just took the momentum from there."
Virginia coach Mark Guilbeau said he understands the effect that momentum often has the ability to carry or break a team but hopes that the Cavaliers will not let the recent loss affect them.
"The Marshall match was a good bit stronger, and I think our team responded well," he said. "I think you should learn from winning and losing but certainly see some good character and toughness coming after a loss, which was real positive."
This week, the Cavaliers again will face a relatively tough opponent in Tech - one that is coming off five straight wins.
Other factors complicate Virginia's preparations for the weekend, though. Weather considerations have forced the team to switch between indoor and outdoor courts for practice, and the Cavaliers do not know yet which court will be the setting for the Virginia Tech match. Outdoor weather conditions in particular can change the game dynamic.
"The whole game is just a lot slower, so it definitely requires a lot more endurance and foot work," Fraser said. "There are a lot less winners, so the points go longer, so you have to be fit and ready to play."
As a result, coaches have emphasized different strategies during practices that are more conducive to outdoor play.
"I'm asking them to make sure they really try to keep good depth and still play offensive tennis but understand that you're gonna have to mix it up a little more and be willing to play longer as well," Guilbeau said. "They've responded real well to it."
But it is not only the weather that Virginia must acclimate itself to, but also the switching of its doubles pairings. Guilbeau decided to alter the lineup after the team was swept in doubles matches for the first time this season against VCU.
"The doubles is going to be really interesting," Guilbeau said. "We're gonna do some different things there, and it's going to be interesting to see how our kids individually have developed, so that with different pairs, maybe we can prove ourselves really strong."
But despite the challenges and the changes to the line-up, Guilbeau still is confident about the squad's chances.
"It's one of those matches where you feel good about [it]," he said. "If you do what you're capable of, you should come out of it with probably a good result, but it won't be easy"
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