The Bradley tennis team traveled to Las Vegas over spring break to take on Rutgers, Southern Utah and nationally ranked University of Nevada Las Vegas.
On the first day of play, the Braves took on No. 45 ranked UNLV. The Runnin’ Rebels downed Bradley in a 7-0 sweep.
Despite the loss, head coach Matt Tyler said he was happy with the effort his team gave.
“For all three matches in Las Vegas, I thought we played well, but I think we could have played better,” Tyler said. “Against nationally ranked UNLV, I thought we played them really tough even though the score didn’t necessarily reflect that.”
Family bragging rights were on the line the next day as Bradley faced off against Rutgers. In a matchup of sibling head coaches, older brother Tyler took on his younger sister Hilary Ritchie, head coach of the Scarlet Knights.
“I was nervous for it, and I knew they were a very good team going in,” Tyler said. “It was certainly one that I wanted to win, but I don’t think we approached it any differently than we do any other match.”
The lone bright spot in the match came when junior Aimee Manfredo rallied for a 3-set win at No. 5 singles. She earned the team’s only point in the match as Bradley fell to the Scarlet Knights 6-1.
Even with two straight losses, Tyler said his confidence in the team remains unshaken.
“I think the first two days we were adjusting to playing in a different atmosphere,” Tyler said. “We played Rutgers just as tough as we did UNLV, and I know that we’re capable of beating teams like them, it’s just a matter of getting over the hump.”
Whether that “hump” was mental or physical, Bradley got over it on their final day in Las Vegas against Southern Utah. The Braves were able to earn a 5-2 win over the Thunderbirds, ending their spring break trip on a high note.
“We played our best tennis of the trip on Wednesday,” Tyler said. “People were playing a position higher from three on up because [freshman] Natalia Barbery was out of the lineup with an injury, and we were still able to come out, play well and get the win,” Tyler said.
Although the Braves were only able to pick up one win over the trip, Tyler said he was happy that the team was able to get some experience playing in outdoor conditions.
According to Tyler, playing outside is important for the team, especially as it moves closer toward the conference season.
While the trip helped get the team ready for the start of the conference season, it also helped solidify team morale, and senior Ariel Dechter said she is happy with the way the team is coming together.
“The trip gave us the chance to bond as a team. We all stayed in the same house and were together a lot of the time both on and off the court,” Dechter said. “We really did everything together. We went on a team hike, and we got the chance to walk around and see some of the sights. I think we’re coming together great as a team. We cheer for each other, and we’re all there for each other when we need it.”
