Ferris State men’s tennis is grinding for contention in the young season as the Bulldogs continue their massive 14-game road stretch.
The Bulldogs are currently five matches deep in a 14-game road trip that spans from Feb. 21 to March 25 and has the team traveling as far as Florida and Georgia. With 20 days until their next home match, Ferris will have to face the adversity of the road if the squad plans to claim GLIAC laurels.
“It’s always hard to go away on the weekend and play three matches in a row,” Ferris junior Laurnet Galarneaun said. “We need to get back on the court this week and work on our game so we’re ready for our upcoming conference matches.”
The Bulldogs are currently ranked eighth in the GLIAC with a 1-2 conference record. Both Michigan Tech and Tiffin are leading the pack with 3-0 marks, but the season is still very young as 19 matches remain prior to the NCAA regionals.
Even though Ferris’ remaining nine games are away, their mid- to late-season schedule will actually play in their favor as only two of the nine are conference bouts. In addition, a five-match home stand awaits them following their long vacation, four of which will be GLIAC contests in front of their home crowd.
“We have some of the best fans in the GLIAC who always bring a great vibe to the team,” Ferris senior Aaron Dial said. “We just need to work out a few kinks so we can turn those losses into more wins.”
Dial has teamed up with Galarneau to become Ferris State’s veteran one-two punch as both men compete together in doubles play in addition to being one of the Dawgs’ more consistent players in singles competition. The duo has teamed up with clutch match wins this season, helping to keep Ferris’ machine a well-oiled one.
The Bulldogs have seven non-conference matches remaining in their regular season, six of which will be played during their current road stretch. Of the five non-league matches played so far, Ferris has won only one. In the end, the only wins that count are those that show up on a GLIAC scorecard.
“Everybody just needs to be more consistent in how they play; I think everyone is just too up and down so far,” freshman, Laurent Mailloux, said. “I think we can beat any team, we just have to pull it together.”
Ferris will continue its long road journey as they next travel to the University of Northwestern Ohio on Saturday, March 8th with a starting time slated for 10 a.m.