After six straight matches on the road including two last weekend at high altitude, the Idaho Vandals are glad to be back on more familiar ground to face BYU and LCSC this weekend.
Coach Daniel Pollock said it’s always nice playing back at home, especially after the long weekend on the road.
“I think it’s nice for them to sleep in their own beds, hang out with their friends and they are just a lot more comfortable going into the match,” Pollock said.
Being comfortable will help Idaho but it will take more than just that to beat BYU and LCSC Saturday. It’s first test will be 10 a.m. Saturday morning in Pullman against the Cougars, a team Pollock said is always a powerhouse in the region.
“BYU is going to be very difficult,” Pollock said. “They have had some big wins and some close losses to some really good teams.”
He said it’s going to be tricky for the Vandals, who have had a few health issues and injuries recently, but the focus this week has been getting healthy.
“If we do go out there and give it a hundred percent and enjoy ourselves, I think we have a chance against anyone and this is no different,” Pollock said.
Senior and team captain Molly Knox said it helps that they returned from Colorado and Wyoming having played at such high elevation.
“We had a tough weekend, playing in altitude in Colorado and Wyoming so when we play against another good team like BYU I think just the speed of the ball and the altitude will help us playing back here where it’s a little lower,” Knox said.
She said Idaho is matched up really tough this part of the season so it’s best to play BYU now, rather than any other time.
After BYU, the Vandals head to Lewiston for a 4:30 p.m. match against Lewis-Clark State College. Idaho made easy work of LCSC last time with a 7-0 victory but Pollock said that’s not the same team they will face Saturday.
“They have beat every non-Division I team they have played so far and their No. 1 player and their No. 1 doubles team have beaten I think almost every Division I player they have played too,” Pollock said.
He said it won’t be easy, especially after playing a tough match in the morning but if the team comes out with energy, the Vandals should be able to take care of business.
Knox said the Vandals are prepared for the Warriors to put up a solid fight.
“LCSC always goes out and tries really hard but we have a really motivated team and work harder probably harder than a lot teams so I think we will be fine as long as everyone brings their top games,” Knox said.
Freshman Sophie Vickers said she thinks if the right Idaho team shows up this weekend, it may be able to win both matches.
“If we go out and play our best tennis and give it all we got then we have definitely got a chance,” Vickers said.
Knox said it will be fun for the girls to have a couple matches close to home and hope to have a lot of friends, family and fans at the matches.