Oklahoma men’s tennis will battle rival, No. 25 Oklahoma State, in the regular season finale, after losing only their second match of the season.
The Sooners dropped a dual for only the second time this season, 4-3, to No. 23 Texas Tech. However, Sunday, they look to take Bedlam and finish out the season on a high note.
Coach John Roddick thinks the team will use the loss to their advantage.
“I think when you have a loss like that, guys get a little more attentive,” he said. “You don’t change things because of one loss and we can still win the Big 12, so that is what we are going to try to do.”
Sophomore Andrew Harris echoed similar thoughts.
“It could benefit us in the long run because it showed us that we are not invincible,” Harris said. “I am sure we are going to come out Sunday really focused for OSU and get the job done.”
The team will try to play their normal style against the Cowboys but losing may not be as good for a team as some think.
“I am not a fan of learning from losing, I think you learn how to win from being a consistent winner,” Roddick said.
OU lost the doubles point for the tenth time this season; both of the Sooners' losses have come from matches in which they lost the doubles point. Needless to say, this is an area the team has to work on.
“We are still working on it,” Roddick said. “We are going to keep trying things and we are not going to keep changing things because we will not lose the same way twice. Overall, our doubles is getting better but we need to finish them off.”
Harris thought the struggle at doubles has been a bit unlucky.
“I think it has been improving; we have to work on a few things but I think we were a bit unlucky against Tech, “ he said. “We lost a team match point for the doubles point but we are still working on it.”
Bedlam will also be senior night for Dane Webb and Nick Papac.
“Dane has been the heart and soul of this team, really even since the first day he got her,” Roddick said. “He has played No. 1 doubles for us since he has got here which is pretty incredible; he’s probably the most fun player I have ever got to coach.”
Although he was sidelined for most of his senior year with injury, Papac provided loud, emotional support for his team.
“He won two huge matches for us in doubles last year against USC and UCLA and he was just determined to win,” Roddick said. “He’s just born with that motivation and intensity that’s really rare.”
In addition, if OU beats OSU Sunday, they will win the Big 12 regular season championship. OU and Baylor each have one conference loss, but due to the head to head win falling in the Sooners favor, the tie will go to OU.
“In OU athletics we put a lot of stock on winning the Big 12,” Roddick said. “You worry about all the other stuff after we finish the job of winning the Big 12.”
Harris would like to see a home crowd like the Sooners experience on the road.
“It would be good to play in match where there is a huge crowd like at Baylor, or Texas Tech,” he said. “We want them to just get loud.”
Bedlam will commence this Sunday, April 26th at 1 pm in Norman.
