Though the Wisconsin Men's tennis team (0-6 Big Ten, 6-10 overall) has taken its lumps since Big Ten play began, they continue to soldier on with an upcoming road trip against Minnesota (3-1 Big Ten, 4-9 overall) and Rice (2-0 Western Athletic Conference, 11-5 overall) in Minneapolis.
\It's going to be two tough matches, but we just have to regroup and play hard, and if we do that I think we will have a chance,"" senior Alex Kasarov said.
Despite failing to notch a victory within the conference, the Badgers' record is deceiving. They have been in many close matches of late, most recently a 4-3 contest to Penn State and dropping a 5-2 match to No. 54 Indiana, in a score that fails to show how close the match really was.
However, the team has no lack of confidence and feels that things are bound to turn its way. Freshman sensation Jeremy Sonkin said, ""We just have to stay confident. We've had a couple of tough losses, and if everyone comes out and keeps fighting and stays positive we'll get our wins in there.""
Kasarov agreed with his teammate. ""We need all six guys to be ready and come out there with a lot of energy. That's how we'll be able to win.""
Head coach Pat Klingelhoets feels for the team to be successful, all six members need to click.
""We just have to keep working hard and just get a couple of days when everyone is playing well. We just haven't done that. In order for us to win, every guy has to go out and play what they are capable of playing,"" he said.
Klingelhoets has also recently switched around the doubles lineup and feels that will give the team a better chance of picking up some wins.
Despite a less than stellar record, Klingelhoets is pleased with his team's performance during the course of the season.
""We are trying to remind these guys that they are a young team and that as long as they are playing and competing hard, we don't have any complaints,"" he said. ""That's all we are asking of them. If we keep doing that eventually the wins will come.""
The Badgers' focus for the remainder of the season will on picking up a few wins and rounding into form for the Big Ten Tournament.
""We are trying to get the best seed we can team-wise going into the Big Tournament, but we basically have to stay focused and just play hard and everything is going to click by the time the Big Ten Tournament comes around,"" Kasarov said.
Individual honors are also at stake for the team as both Kasarov and Sonkin have their eyes set on attaining All-Big Ten status and NCAA births, with Sonkin also seeking to claim the Big Ten Freshman of the Year award. Sonkin is confident that all of these goals are within his reach.
""I have a couple of key matches coming up, but if I can pull through those anything can happen,"" he said.
A solid showing this weekend in Minneapolis will be key to turning the Badgers' season around and getting them set for a successful stretch run to close out the season.
