When Luke Jensen scheduled this weekend’s grueling slate — three matches in three days — he had one thing in mind: the Big East tournament.

‘We have to understand that to win the Big East tournament, which is the immediate goal,’ Jensen said, ‘possibly we’re going to have to win four matches in four days or three matches in three days if we get a bye.’

This isn’t a new theme in Jensen’s coaching philosophy. He loaded the front half of the team’s schedule in hopes of preparing them for tournament play. Syracuse went 2-1 in its only other three-match weekend — Jan. 28-30. The Orange defeated Navy 6-1, fell to Maryland 7-0 and rebounded to finish the weekend with a 5-2 victory over Big East rival Georgetown.

This time around, the level of competition won’t be as tough. SU will face Seton Hall, Buffalo and Cincinnati on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, respectively.

‘I want to get them in a mindset where they’re going to have to compete, regroup and compete again,’ Jensen said.

Last Friday, Jensen’s squad played two matches back to back. Syracuse edged Binghamton 4-3 in the front half of the doubleheader and dominated Colgate 7-0 in the second match.

Each of the three matches this weekend will help move the team toward its ‘immediate goal of winning the Big East tournament,’ Jensen said. The more victories the Orange earns now, the better position it will be in for the conference tournament.

Junior Alessondra Parra knows the importance of earning a high seed. She has seen the competition in the tournament in years past and recognizes the difference between having to play three matches or four.

‘We’re looking ahead to the Big East tournament, and we have high expectations for ourselves,’ Parra said. ‘We want to win it. Playing those two (Big East) opponents could give us an advantage later on in terms of seeding and getting byes.’

Three matches in one weekend is no easy task. To finish 3-0, the Orange will need to take each contest one at a time.

And to junior captain Emily Harman, that starts with SU’s first match against the Pirates.

‘They’re all pretty good teams,’ Harman said. ‘But it starts with the first. We have to go in on Friday acting like it’s our sole one. It’s really just one step at a time here.’

Though the team isn’t looking past Seton Hall, it is aware that Buffalo lays waiting. The general consensus of the team is its match against the Bulls may very well be the most challenging of the weekend.

Parra doesn’t see it as an easy win at all. Syracuse barely edged Buffalo 4-3 last season, and the Bulls will come in looking to avenge that match.

‘I think that judging by last year, Buffalo will be (the toughest match),’ Parra said.

Though Buffalo is not Big East competition, Jensen said this isn’t any ordinary match. There is a local rivalry among New York tennis teams. The Orange got a taste of that last weekend against Binghamton and will get plenty more of it. SU has matches with Army, St. John’s and Rutgers from March 25-27.

‘We are New York’s team,’ Jensen said. ‘We’re the only BCS school in New York. … So we better win New York (matches).’

All three matches carry their own importance. But most of all, it gives the SU players another chance to compete, Parra said.

And Harman knows even though it is still relatively early in the season, every match counts.

‘We want to win every one of them,’ Harman said. ‘It’s very important in terms of making our mark on the Big East.’

sebail01@syr.edu

 

Published on February 10, 2011 at 12:00 pm

Contact Stephen: sebail01@syr.edu | @Stephen_Bailey1