While the losses last season and so far this season have been frustrating, the Lions said that they are very close to finding success. Many of those losses were close matches decided by a single point. One of the keys for the team's success will be finding a way to pull out those tight matches.
This will be no easy task for the Lions this weekend, going up against two top-40, battle-tested teams.
Wisconsin has not lost a match since Feb. 25, with the last two matches coming against ranked teams. It features two top-100 singles players who will surely test the Lions.
On Sunday, the Lions will face a stacked Northwestern team.
It has lost only two matches so far this season and is the six-time defending Big Ten champs.
The Wildcats feature two singles players, Audra Cohen and Cristelle Grier, who are among the top 15 singles players in the nation.
The duo also make up the No. 1 doubles team in women's tennis. Northwestern's No. 2 doubles team is nationally ranked as well.
In a situation that could be overwhelming for some teams, the Lions said that they are looking at it as a great chance to compete against two teams at the highest levels of college tennis.
"It's a great opportunity to go out and compete with the best," Penn State coach Buffy Baker said. "There's really no pressure on us."
Without a great deal of pressure to burden them, the Lions can relieve some of the anxiety that has burdened them late in some matches this season. The goal for the Lions is to go out and play with the type of confidence that results in wins.
"It's just a matter of knowing that you have the ability to be successful," Baker said.
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