Adversity is something that the men’s tennis team has become accustomed to in the last week and a half.
The Falcons, which have dropped three of their last four matches, have had to deal with more than the news of their program being cut.
It began when coach Jay Harris missed the first five days of the team’s spring trip when his wife gave birth to a baby. The coach missed a match against Southeast Louisiana, and the team – left to look to itself for leadership – won the match 6-1. The team also dealt with an injury to junior Geoff Hiscox and an official in a loss to New Orleans who Harris referred to as “The worst official in the world.”
Despite all the issues that the Falcons have dealt with recently, they have vowed to play on with the same intensity they have shown all season. Harris has been pleased with his team’s resolve.
“This is the toughest group of guys I have coached here,” Harris said. “This will probably affect us for the rest of the week, but we will get through it.”
The team lost its match on Tuesday to the Michigan Wolverines 6-1 in Ann Arbor. The loss dropped the Falcons to 9-8, with five of its losses coming against the Big Ten Conference. Sophomore Joel Carney, who had the lone Falcon match victory against Michigan, said he expects the team to make a strong push in what will become the last month of the program.
“One of the things we have talked about all season is that guys need to step up,” Carney said. “I think we all know what we have to do.”
Carney, who transferred after last year from St. Bonaventure, said he was comfortable in BG and was sure there would be a team. Now he will need to look for a new college. Yet Carney believes that the personal issues that many of the players will need to deal with will not affect the rest of the Falcons’ season on the court.
“We met as a team, and decided we will play hard for our fans, our friends, and our families, but not for the administration,” Carney said. “Our goal is to win the MAC title, an we are confident we can do that.”
The team’s next game will come Saturday, when they play two matches at home against Duquesne and Bradley. The matches will mark the beginning of a stretch in which BG will play six consecutive matches at home. Harris feels good about the matches this weekend.
“I feel okay about it,” Harris said. “I expect us to win both matches.”