April 9, 2010
Wichita, Kan. -
The Illinois State men's tennis team will be contending for sole possession of first place in the Missouri Valley Conference Saturday morning when they take on the Wichita State Shockers at the Sheldon Coleman Tennis Complex in Wichita, Kan. Three Redbirds, including Alexander Pelaez, have won their last four singles matches.
Both teams are undefeated in conference play, sharing a 2-0 MVC record, and will look to remain unbeaten after a showdown between arguably the two best teams in the conference.
"It's a big match for us," head coach Cris James said. "We're expecting tough conditions and we're going to have to deal with some adversity Saturday. I talked to the team about not letting that adversity get to us and pushing through."
Illinois State holds an 11-7 record this season and defeated Bradley in a convincing, 7-0, win Thursday afternoon.
The Redbirds have been playing with confidence as of late. ISU has won four of its last five matches. In those four wins, the Redbirds won every singles match and only gave up two doubles points. They have a combined match record of 25-5 during that stretch.
"As a team, we need to realize that we're ready and prepared for these matches," James said. "We need to go out and trust ourselves and play to win. In the past, we've stepped up and played well in the big matches like this."
Wichita State heads into Saturday's contest with a 10-7 mark this season. The Shockers snapped a four-match losing skid last weekend with two conference wins over Creighton and Drake.
Saturday's match is scheduled to begin at 10 a.m., at the Sheldon Coleman Tennis Complex. The Redbirds are currently in Wichita, Kan., preparing for the showdown, the first of three remaining MVC matches.
"We had a very spirited and energized practice [Friday]," James said. "We're ready for the match."
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