On Friday February 9, a particularly muggy, gray day, the Pirates displayed their tennis skills against the UT Permian Basin Falcons. This was the first game of both the men’s and women’s Spring season. Despite their losses (M: 0-9, W: 2-7) the players showcased excellent skills they’ve been working on since we last saw them in their fall tournaments.

Days before the game, The Megaphone interviewed Coach Nyssa Peele on how the team felt about the upcoming season. Coach Peele and the team’s short-term goals were clear: “Have a competitive season!”

The Pirates strive to push themselves to the upper echelon of possibility. “Because we’re moving into another conference in a couple years,” Coach Peele said when asked about the long-term goals of the team, “I want to see how we stack up against the coming competition. I want to continue to be a competitive academic institution.” When asked which event she was most excited about taking the team to, she answered, “Every match.”

The game started with doubles, and with no expectations, there was an obvious requisite for team play and communication between the players. There was a level of trust and to the naked eye, it may seem like telepathy among the Pirates. Among the notable matches was Lydia Lee and Mary Young’s double’s match, which came to 7 games-all, and outlasted most of the other doubles matches. After supreme performances from both teams, the pirates won the set, earning them cheers from all their teammates watching. Sydney Wahl and Hattie Berend came to a similar position but unfortunately, were unable to clinch the last game.

Oscar Roy and Ashton Ellis on the men’s team played an incredible double match against the Falcons best. Just like the women’s double, there was communication, both verbal and nonverbal, which allowed for superb plays to shine. Often, the ball would just barely whizz above the net, and both teams placed it with wicked precision each time. Every so often, their rallies would be lengthy. Despite their spectacular performance, they fell short, 4-8.

After doubles ended, the single matches began. It was then that the audience saw most clearly the individual athleticism of each Pirate. These games became truly cerebral; one could study the eyes of each player and see their forms and thoughts metastasize. Players often had 30 minutes or less to rest between their doubles and singles matches. Despite this, the form of the players remained consistent and it was clear that they had prepared to use everything they had for hours. Ashton Ellis became faster as time passed and, in an astounding display of endurance, Erika Synoski won two sets in a row after losing the first one.

At the end of the day, the Pirates have extreme potential. There were displays of skill among all the players who performed, both in decision-making and sheer athleticism. Both men’s and women’s tennis teams are 3-0 overall. Their next match is against Covenant on March 1.