After grabbing the biggest win in program history last weekend, the Virginia women's tennis team will look to continue its winning ways today against Boston College. Unfortunately, the Cavaliers must travel to Chestnut Hill, Mass. to face the Eagles in a 1 p.m. matchup.
Facing Boston College on the road is likely to make the match more difficult for Virginia. However, Boston College (6-11, 0-9) has struggled this season and is still searching for its first ACC win. Nevertheless, Virginia coach Mark Guilbeau is not discounting the challenge that will be presented by the Eagles.
"[Boston College is] not a [pushover] at all," Guilbeau said. "Potentially, we could have been that team [this season], you never know. This conference is very tough. I know their players, and our players know their players. This is a team that was probably just as good as we were in the fall. There won't be an easy point played. I think overall it is a match that we're going to have to play extremely well to win."
Boston College is new to the ACC this season. Virginia has not faced Boston College in many years, and Virginia's players are largely unfamiliar with the Eagles' style of play.
"What we try to do with new opponents is make it a positive," Guilbeau said. "It's a new place and a new environment. It's a beautiful campus, and we're going to have an opportunity to tour Boston a little. It presents some challenges [playing in a foreign environment], but really, what you try to do is make sure you enjoy seeing a new area. Then you put all that away and play the match."
It also helps that Virginia is coming off its biggest win in team history. The Cavaliers defeated the No. 6 Hurricanes of Miami, Fla. Sunday, 4-3. It was a huge upset win, and the team's third win in a row. The Cavaliers have been working hard in practice this week to continue the winning streak and end the regular season on a strong note. There are two regular season matches left before the ACC Tournament; therefore, today's match will go a long way towards determining seeding.
"All along we've been practicing very specifically with each individual player," Guilbeau said. "If you focus on the specific needs of each player it adds up for the whole team. We're trying to build each player's game around their best skills. Our overall philosophy is centered on consistency first. You don't have to win every point."
Regardless of what happens against Boston College, this season has already been one of the most successful seasons in team history.
"It's been amazing," assistant coach Troy Porco said. "I've been coaching at the Division I level for 16 years, and what these ladies have done is extremely impressive."
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