Tennis

Tough luck kind of season

In their 14 matches this season, the Cougars are 2-4 in matches decided by one point. UH is 7-7 on the season after going 2-3 over spring break. Four of their five matches were decided by one point, the Cougars lost three of those four.  |  Catherine Lara/The Daily Cougar

In their 14 matches this season, the Cougars are 2-4 in matches decided by one point. UH is 7-7 on the season after going 2-3 over spring break. Four of their five matches were decided by one point, the Cougars lost three of those four. | Catherine Lara/The Daily Cougar

Over spring break, the Cougars continued their quest for a national ranking with a string of five matches against Iowa State, Marquette, Idaho, Kansas and Bowling Green, going 2-3.

All three of the losses ended with in a heartbreaking 4-3 fashion.

“We were in all those matches against some really good programs,” head coach John Severance said.

“We weren’t at full strength and the breaks didn’t go our way”.

The Cougars hadn’t played in almost two weeks when their first match of the break against Iowa State came.

“Anytime you have that much time off, you’re going to have some rust,” Severance said.

“You have to keep that competitive edge and our first match back we ended up in a dogfight.”

UH then proceeded in dropping three straight close 4-3 decisions before coming up on top against Bowling Green, 5-2.

“I’ve never seen so many close matches in any season,” Severance said.

“It really has been a day-to-day season.”

Of 14 matches this season, six have ended 4-3 with the Cougars going 1-5 in those contests.

“Our new motto is no more 3-4 matches,” Severance said.

“During the season you’re  going to need a little bit of luck and have things go your way and so far it hasn’t happened.

“We need to improve on our serves and just cut down on mistakes in order to avoid those close calls, but overall we are competing well and just need to translate that into wins.”

The Cougars will try to get things rolling again at 3 p.m. as they make-up a match against Prairie View A&M at the John E. Hoff Tennis Courts.

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