With an overall record of 10-4 and 4-0 in the Sun Belt, App State’s women’s tennis team is pushing through the 2019 season with success.

The team practices every day for two hours starting at 6 a.m. and it has one day off after matches.

“Definitely the most challenging thing is to keep up (with) school and to be positive all of the time on the court and to work hard,” sophomore criminal justice major Teodora Sevo said.

Head coach Blake Mosley said the team does a good job of keeping each other’s spirits up, especially if someone is down in a match.

“They understand that they’ve gotta fight for each other,” Mosley said

The team traveled to Charlotte, Arkansas, Tennessee and Chicago March 16-17 and Asheville, Charleston, South Carolina, Florida, and other locations over spring break.

“Sometimes it’s hard to keep energy up because you’re tired, your match didn’t go well the other day or you just remember how you played the other day and you get sad,” Sevo said.

Freshman undecided major Kate Earnhardt said getting used to college-level tennis has been intense compared to high school.

Mosley said he tries to get the team to embrace a growth mindset and improve every day.

“I try to keep things simple and make them realize it’s a privilege that they have this opportunity to be playing a sport that they love at a great university,” Mosley said.

Mosley also said he tries to boost the team’s confidence.

“They put the pressure on themselves about competing and winning, but I try to relieve that,” Mosley said. “The sun is still going to come up if you lose this match, it doesn’t matter, it’s a game at the end of the day.”

The next match is on March 30 against the University of Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin’ Cajuns.