Luke Jensen said his players work harder than any other team in the country, regardless of level. He makes them work for three hours at a time and expects results.

‘There isn’t a group of tennis players on the men’s side or the women’s side in any facet of this game, from the juniors (to) college (to the) pros, that works harder,’ Jensen said. ‘Honestly, for three straight hours when they’re out here (practicing), they’re not allowed to sit down, and they don’t get many water breaks.’

At the halfway point of the season, his team sits 8-2 overall and 4-0 in the conference. SU is currently riding an 18-game Big East regular-season winning streak, as well as a streak of 19 straight home wins.

But for a team whose sights are set on winning the Big East tournament, Jensen and his players know they still need to get better. Especially considering the team dropped only two regular-season matches last season and was still unable to get past the second round of the Big East tournament — something the team would like to change this time around.

Freshman Maddie Kobelt wasn’t around for that early exit from postseason play a year ago, but she knows the importance of winning the conference championship. With that trophy, the team will earn a berth into the NCAA tournament.

‘It’s definitely important and good for us to come out and show the rest of the teams in the Big East that this is our record against other Big East teams,’ Kobelt said. ‘This is how we’ve competed, we’re here and we mean business.’

So far, SU has bullied its four in-conference opponents with both losses coming in nonconference matches. The Orange defeated Cincinnati and Georgetown and dropped just three of 14 matches combined against those teams. And against Seton Hall and West Virginia, Syracuse registered shutouts.

Those teams, however, aren’t the ones Jensen expects to compete with in the late rounds of the conference tournament. The Notre Dames of the Big East are much more of a concern for the fifth-year coach.

‘The reality is (Notre Dame) is the favorite,’ Jensen said. ‘They have higher-ranked players; they have higher-ranked junior players. But really when you come onto the court for competition, that doesn’t count. They don’t get extra points unless you give it to them.

‘When we come into the Big East tournament against anyone, we face them with a chip on our shoulder — that we’ve got to prove something.’

But before the team gets to the Big East tournament, it has a grueling regular-season schedule to complete. Syracuse will take on teams such as Southern California, San Diego State and William & Mary to test the Orange late in the regular season. USC is currently ranked No. 17 in the nation, while SDSU and W&M are 62nd and 75th, respectively.

Kobelt is especially looking forward to facing off against teams outside the northeast region. Especially those from the West Coast.

‘We’re really excited for that,’ Kobelt said. ‘(We’re) ready to go out and show them what us East Coast girls got.’

Though they may not have the 10-0 record they wanted at this point in the season, the ‘East Coast girls’ bring a competitive edge and an unmatched work ethic to the courts every day. It is a work ethic that stems from their coach.

But work ethic alone doesn’t yield results. The team might be the hardest working in the nation, as Jensen said, but that didn’t prevent SU from dropping two matches in the first half.

Nonetheless, Jensen knows this determination is what makes his team so special. He made it clear this year’s team is the most highly motivated squad he’s ever coached.

With all this said, there can be no letup for Jensen and his squad. Other elite teams in the nation are out there training every day, preparing for their respective conference tournaments, just like Syracuse is.

That means the Orange needs to put those early-season losses behind it and continue to make strides under Jensen’s tutelage.

‘I think last year we had a much better start to last season than we did (this year),’ junior Emily Harman said. ‘We just really have to step it up in those (close) matches and look more like a veteran team.’

sebail01@syr.edu

 

Published on March 1, 2011 at 12:00 pm

Contact Stephen: sebail01@syr.edu | @Stephen_Bailey1