Mountaineers starting to believe in themselves

Thanks in part to head coach Tina Samara and her coaching staff, the West Virginia women's tennis team will have a different mentality from the one it had in the spring, when it travels to Ohio State Saturday than they did in the spring season.

"(The coaching staff) believes that they can compete at the same level, it's just a question of whether everyone out on the court believes that," Samara said. "I think (the team is) certainly in a better place now as far as where their confidence is, and how well they think they can compete against the ranked teams that we will be facing."

Ohio State enters the match ranked No. 55, and just coming off a defeat to No. 42 South Florida. Samara believes it may only take one win for the Mountaineers before the momentum starts rolling.

"I think it is going to take getting that one win that maybe they were not sure they could get," she said. "I really feel like if we can do that, things will start happening."

In Samara's second season as head coach, she is instilling a newer and more confident mentality in the program, and that confidence starts during preparation.

"I feel like the easiest way and most real way to (gain confidence) is if you know everyday you've worked as hard as you can. And when you walked on the court against your opponent, you know you have worked harder than they have," Samara said. "You start expecting to win, instead of hoping to win."

Samara has been instilling that mentality in both old and new Mountaineers.

The oldest and most experienced Mountaineers are senior Veronica Cardenas and junior Emily Mathis.

The duo produced 35 combined wins for West Virginia in the fall season, but it is the experience the two have gained over the years that really excites Samara, even if it may not be at the level Samara has them now competing.

"I don't care if it is any easy match or hard match, anytime you have a lot of matches under your belt, it logically should help you compete," Samara said. "I think the key for them is to embrace the challenge, and look at it as an opportunity and not something to be afraid of."

Another member who gained valuable experience in the fall is sophomore Mary Chupa, who will join Mathis on the doubles court. The only other upperclassman on the roster is senior Catie Wickline, a former walk-on.

The Mountaineers also feature an international player on the squad. Ikttesh Chahal is a freshman from Chandigarh, India who competed in the fall.

"Ikttesh has a much more international experience than the rest of the team," she said. "What (international players) bring more than anything is different cultures, and I think it is nice for the American kids to also get to know what experiences someone from the other side of the world has."

The final Mountaineer who will get a taste of her first action against the Buckeyes is freshman Madison Hromada. Samara wants to see Hromada ease into college tennis, and take what she can get.

"(Hromada) has to really just control the things she can control, and work her way into college tennis," Samara said. "She is very capable; she has a big game, but is definitely still learning when how to use it."