"It's the biggest match of the season so far," sophomore Ryan Berger said. "It's time to step up and play, we have got to get a 'W' -- no ifs and or buts about it."
The "spring" weather of central Pennsylvania remains a wildcard for the Lions, as cold temperatures and precipitation could force them back inside. After this weekend just two possible outdoor matches at home left for the team.
With a losing record, and a 6-1 loss to No. 57 Indiana (to whom the Lions also lost 6-1), the No. 68 Boilermakers might not seem that impressive. They have been tested by some good teams, though, coming away with a 5-2 victory against Vanderbilt, who was No. 17 at the time.
During Wednesday's practice, Penn State assistant coach Bill Potoczny pointed out to the team that no current player has been on a team that won the doubles against Purdue. In fact a Penn State men's team has not beaten Purdue in doubles yet during his seven-year tenure in Happy Valley, he said.
Week-in and week-out the doubles point is the story for the young Lions team, and it has a new focus on doubles play -- the first serves. The Lions ended Wednesday's practice, trying to close out doubles matches, only able to hit a first serve -- getting only once chance to hit it in the box.
"That's a basic steak and potatoes type of thing, if you're playing doubles, there's nothing more important than first serves," Penn State head coach Jan Bortner said. "It's focus; it's like free-throw shooting at the end of a [basketball] game. You've got to make the free throws.
"We're serving in situations, going 7-6, to finish the match out, and you've got guys who can't get their first serve in -- that's going to kill you."
The focus seemed to have been lacking during the start of the week for the Lions, who practiced lower than expectations on Monday, but have set out to get back up to speed for the Big Ten.
"We realize that we have to start Monday, we can't just turn it out later in the week on Wednesday or Thursday," junior Malcolm Scatliffe said.
Whether the Lions can turn it up in time for Purdue won't be known until later today, but with only one remaining home weekend after this, the importance of the match cannot be exaggerated.
"This is big, I told our guys they don't want to be 0-3 in the Big Ten and then have to go on the road next weekend against Northwestern and Wisconsin," Bortner said. "Our backs are against the wall -- this is a big match for us."
The difference between 1-2, and 0-3?
It might come down to dropping a few more first serves in the box and finally being able to head in to singles up 1-0 on the Boilermakers.
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