The end of the season has proven to be the weak point in the ASU women’s tennis team’s season year after year.
The challenge for the No. 15 Sun Devils is in the schedule they play. ASU’s schedule is bottom heavy, meaning all of its matches at the end of the season are against ranked Pac-10 teams.
Taking victories over the top-ranked Pac-10 teams has been a challenge for the Sun Devils every season.
ASU coach Sheila McInerney doesn’t view the Sun Devils’ history of losing to the same ranked Pac-10 teams as losing streaks though.
“When you’re playing teams that are ranked ahead of you it’s not a losing streak,” McInerney said. “From a rankings standpoint it’s not really a losing streak. Winning any of the matches would be an upset for us.”
It is always the same teams that give the Sun Devils problems each year.
At the end of the 2010 season, ASU fell to Stanford (6-1), USC (5-2) and UCLA (4-3).
In 2009 ASU fell to California, Stanford, UCLA and USC at the end of the season, and in total, the Sun Devils lost to Cal, UCLA and USC twice that year.
The Pac-10 is the toughest conference to compete in, and the teams’ records and rankings show that, McInerney said.
The Sun Devils suffered recent losses to No. 1 Stanford (6-1) and No. 7 Cal (4-3), but it is no surprise.
The matches were tough.
Stanford (18-0, 5-0 Pac-10) and Cal (14-5, 5-1 Pac-10) have both gone undefeated on their home courts this season.
Although having these tough matches at the end of the season is difficult, it is good preparation for the Pac-10s and NCAAs, McInerney said.
“This time of the season is exciting,” McInerney said. “Now you have to play your best tennis because the NCAAs are coming up. We might as well get used to playing these really good teams because we’re not going to have any easy outs once the NCAAs start.”
ASU has fallen in the second round of the NCAA in each of the last four years.
In 2010 ASU fell in the second round to UCLA (4-0). In 2009 it was the same story, but with a 4-3 score line. ASU fell to Fresno State (4-1) in 2008, and fell to Cal (4-2) in 2007.
This year ASU hopes to make it to the sweet 16, and the team has the talent to do so.
“I think we have a stronger team this year,” senior Micaela Hein said. “We’re more seasoned and everyone is mentally tougher.”
The team is loaded with ranked players.
Freshman Jacqueline Cako is ranked No. 11 in singles, according to the International Tennis Association. Senior teammate Kelcy McKenna is ranked No. 19, senior Micaela Hein is No. 106 and sophomore Hannah James made the rankings at No. 120.
ASU (13-5, 3-2 Pac-10) even has ranked doubles teams. The tandem of McKenna and Hein is ranked No. 18, and the duo of senior Ashlee Brown and junior Sianna Simmons is ranked No. 70.
ASU had a few big upsets earlier this season with a 4-3 victory over Cal on March 12, and a 4-3 win over USC on March 16.
The Sun Devils hope to use the energy and success from the earlier upsets this season to propel them to a different season finish.
“I think those wins helped us,” Hein said. “Every win has helped and having a winning record gives everyone confidence. We understand our goals for the end of the season and we’re working to achieve them.”
The dual meet season isn’t over yet, giving the Sun Devils several opportunities to earn wins over top-ranked teams and get the momentum going again.
“We have a good mentality,” McInerney said. “We’ve had a good year so far and we want to end it on a good note.”
ASU will face No. 13 USC for a second time on Friday, and will compete against No. 8 UCLA (14-5, 4-1 Pac-10) on Saturday.
The Bruin’s only Pac-10 loss was against undefeated Stanford, and the Trojans (13-5, 2-3 Pac-10) will also be tough to beat as they have the No. 1 player in the country, Maria Sanchez.
Reach the reporter at nicole.klauss@asu.edu
