Freshman Charlotte Phillips lost her first dual match 6-4, 6-2 to Megan Horter of Baylor after holding a 4-3 lead early in the match. | Catherine Lara/The Daily Cougar
The Cougars took on No. 6 Baylor on Saturday and lost 6-1 in their spring-season opener.
“I thought we competed very well,” head coach John Severance said. “We had opportunities to win more singles points against the sixth-ranked team in the country.
“We showed a lot of people there today that we’re a competitive bunch and it’s only a matter of time until we’re nationally ranked.”
Last week he cited the importance of being able to beat the nation’s top teams and next week the goal remains the same as UH takes on Colorado at 1 p.m. Saturday at the John E. Hoff courts.
The Buffaloes (1-1) plays in one the toughest tennis conferences in the nation — the Pac-12 — and UH hopes that a win will strengthen its argument for a national ranking.
Severance wasn’t happy about the loss to Baylor, but hoped it showed that they are capable of competing with high-level teams.
“I don’t like losing, even to the number-six program in the nation,” Severance said. “We have to play well 100 percent of the time, playing well 90 percent of the time wont cut it.
“The team wasn’t upbeat about losing and I don’t want them to be, but they now know that can compete with the best.”
Senior Giorgia Pozzan took on Baylor’s Diana Nakic, the 14th-ranked player in the nation, and lost a close 7-5, 7-5 singles match .
“She showed how much she wants to compete and win,” Severance said.
Freshmen Charlotte Phillips and Liselot Koenen also had strong performances against the Bears, but are not finished products.
“They have to keep improving and gaining experience,” Severance said.
The Cougars have goals for the season and they know how to achieve them.
“We want to be nationally ranked,” Severance said. “And have to now win against those good teams.”
