Even though they competed throughout the fall, this weekend’s two duels will feel like a new season for the Bowling Green tennis team.

It has been over two months since the team competed in the Penn State Tournament to end the fall portion of their season.

“It’s cool,” BG head coach Penny Dean said. “There is a new season; it’s the start of duel match season.”

For BG, the duel matches start this weekend when they welcome Wright State and Youngstown State to Shadow Valley in Toledo.

The duel competitions should create an atmosphere in which teamwork is stressed — at least more so than during the fall season.

“The [fall] season is all tournaments,” Dean said. “For all intents and purposes, you’re playing for yourself in tournaments. It’s more of a team spirit because now every point counts for the team.”

The Falcons played solid throughout the fall. They won their only duel match, but struggled at the Penn State tournament — as did most teams that weren’t the Nittany Lions — when their season ended.

The Falcons are hoping this weekend will give them the building blocks to be even more successful this spring.

“It’s important to get off to a good start,” Dean said. “Every little thing builds confidence.

But the Falcons will have some problems this weekend.

Well, at least their coach will have problems.

Thanks to the likes of seniors Susie Schoenberger, Cameron Benjamin, Laura Kokinda and the rest of the Falcons, Dean has some difficult choices to make.

“It’s difficult deciding on a lineup,” Dean said. “Because everyone is deserving of going into the lineup.”

Their coach is also worried about the team’s focus going in after the two-month break.

“The difficult part will be the mental aspect,” she said. “We’re going to have to avoid mental fatigue because you’ll be playing an entire match.”

Dean is hoping her doubles combinations will lead the team through the weekend. She said she feels that if the team has one glaring strength, it is their doubles teams.

“They play well together,” She said. “I feel that all four of them are strong. Any one of them could play up at the top.”

The Falcons will try to get off on the right foot this weekend.

Play starts Saturday when the Falcons host Wright State at Shadow Valley.