Though the MSU women's tennis team fell to No. 33 Indiana, 5-2, on Sunday, head coach Erica Perkins was pleased with the energy her team brought to the court.
"No one gave up," Perkins said. "We fought until the very end."
After the team suffered what Perkins called a "heartbreaking loss" to Ohio State on Friday, she called a meeting to discuss a lack of energy on the court.
"I want to create a culture of fighting until the last ball," Perkins said.
And that's what the team did Sunday against the Hoosiers.
"They beat us — we didn't beat ourselves, which is what happened Friday," senior Sarah Andrews said.
The team captured the first point against Indiana by winning two of the three doubles matches.
"We try to put everything we have onto the court and have no regrets," said senior Jessica Baron, who competes with Andrews at No. 3 doubles.
The second point came from junior Christine Bader's victory in No. 1 singles.
Bader defeated Indiana's Alba Berdala in a meaningful win for both the team and for Bader. When she defeated Illinois' No. 1 singles player, Megan Fudge, on March 25, she broke a five-match losing streak.
"In the past, she has let some matches slip through her hands," Perkins said.
"She had an excellent win over an excellent player (on Sunday)."
The Spartans, (11-6 overall, 1-3 Big Ten) will continue working toward their goals for the season.
"I'd like to go into the tournament and pick off a top-ranked team," Perkins said. "But it's a process. It's about concentrating on the competition from top to bottom."
Andrews said she wants the team to grow and constantly improve.
"You can never play perfect tennis," Andrews said.
"There are always things that you can sharpen up and improve on."
Taking on Indiana, a top-35 ranked team, wasn't easy, but Perkins said she was proud of how the team stuck with its opponent.
"We are Michigan State, and we are here to be competitive," Perkins said.
An example of the team's commitment and determination was personified by senior Pascale Schnitzer.
Schnitzer played a tight match in No. 3 singles, and though she didn't win, she put up a fight.
"Pascale had a close but frustrating match," Perkins said. "But she has really improved."
The Spartans will continue conference play and take on Minnesota at 10:30 a.m. Saturday in Minneapolis.
