Alessondra Parra symbolizes the collective struggles of the Syracuse tennis team playing at home compared to on the road.

Parra, SU’s former No. 1 singles player who is now slotted at the No. 2 position, is 5-2 in singles play in the friendly confines of the Drumlins Tennis Center. Compare that to an unimpressive 1-3 on the road.

‘Whenever I play an away match — or even home match for that matter — but particularly an away match,’ Parra said, ‘I have to do things better.’

Though Syracuse has impressed in home matches this season, it struggles on the road. The Orange is 7-0 at Drumlins but just 2-2 elsewhere.

As a team, the Orange has won 19 consecutive matches at Drumlins. However, SU coach Luke Jensen knows for his team to achieve its goal of winning the Big East tournament, the Orange must learn to win on the road.

‘There really isn’t a change of mindset,’ Jensen said of preparing for road matches. ‘It’s a change of scenery. It’s so much easier when you can roll out of bed, and you’re a bicycle ride away from where you’re competing.’

The Big East tournament takes place in South Bend, Ind., nearly 600 miles from SU.

The junior Parra recognizes her team needs to improve on the road. She believes the team must not let all the complications of a road match get in the way of the team’s goal: returning to Syracuse with a victory.

And that starts with her individual preparation.

‘I have to plan ahead,’ she said. ‘I have to get everything in line, so that I know that I’m ready to walk onto the court and win.’

The Orange clearly did not have everything in line on Jan. 29 when it lost to Maryland 0-7. SU also struggled on Feb. 20 when it fell to Boston 1-6.

Parra was adamant those matches were lost due to tactical and executional inefficiencies. She said SU would have lost regardless of location.

Jensen disagreed and said the two results would have been different if the Orange played at home.

‘It definitely would’ve been different,’ Jensen said. ‘No doubt about it. The road is the problem. We’ve got to go out there and (win away matches).’

Jensen’s squad knows it has only a little time to solve this problem. Syracuse begins an eight-game road trip on March 15, when it takes on Southern California. It will also face formidable opponents in San Diego State and William & Mary.

For junior Emily Harman, the road stretch is crucial. Excluding Thursday’s home match against Cornell and an April 22 bout with Connecticut, these eight matches will be SU’s last before the Big East tournament.

‘Whether we win or lose, it’s definitely going to build our confidence going into the tournament,’ Harman said. ‘It’ll give us really good experience and set us up for what we will see at the tournament.’

For Jensen, the trip will be telling. If the Orange can string together some wins away from home, Jensen believes his team has a legitimate chance of winning the Big East tournament.

This road trip will be the last of a series of challenges Jensen scheduled for his team. It will push the team toward peaking for the Big East tournament, one of Jensen’s goals.

Earlier in the season, SU played a doubleheader. The weekend after, the Orange played matches in three consecutive days.

‘It’s all designed (for the players) to be challenged before the big matches really start,’ Jensen said. ‘Before the Big East tournament and the NCAA tournament.’

Even if it is physically prepared, the Orange won’t be at its finest if it isn’t in the right mindset.

Harman knows if the team wants to make a run at the title, it must be confident playing away from home. As of Wednesday, Jensen’s squad has 50 days until the tournament begins to gain that confidence.

‘Tennis is all about confidence,’ Harman said. ‘You have to have it. And if you don’t have it, you might as well walk off the court.’

sebail01@syr.edu

Published on March 8, 2011 at 12:00 pm

Contact Stephen: sebail01@syr.edu | @Stephen_Bailey1