Cyclones Open Home Season Friday With Pair of Duals

AMES, Iowa - The Iowa State tennis team (4-4) will host North Dakota (3-2) and Northern Iowa (6-3) for the Cyclones' first home matches Friday at Ames Racquet and Fitness. Play against UND will start at 9 a.m., and the UNI match will take place at 3:30 p.m. Live stats for both matches will be available at cyclones.com.

The Cyclones are excited to return to Ames after traveling for the previous eight matches. With a collection of big road wins under their belts, including defeating Big 10 opponent Penn State, the team hopes that playing at home will help to maintain the momentum.

"The team is excited," said head coach Armando Espinosa. "We've always had a crowd that follows the team on road matches, but it will be nice to play on the same courts that we practice on. They're happy to be able to play in front of their friends and family."

Though Iowa State may hold a home-court advantage, they are not overlooking the competition. The Cyclone roster has faced both UND and UNI in the fall season at the Drake and Northern Iowa Invitational tournaments, and Iowa State plans to focus on both the physical and mental aspects of the games coming up this weekend.

"I think it's more than a physical challenge," Espinosa said of the competition. "It will be an emotional and mental challenge as well. We need to be sure that we go out and play at the best level that we can."

These matches mark the beginning of a two week home-stretch for the Cyclones. Iowa State will face UMKC and Air Force in Ames next weekend, before traveling to Des Moines to duel Drake.

"It'll be a nice stretch to play at home," Espinosa said. "The competition will still be good, but I think that playing at home will give us an advantage."

Iowa State University Athletics

Cyclones Open Home Season Friday With Pair of Duals

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