Play to Win – K-State Tennis Keeps Rolling Through Winter Matches
Feb 25, 2021 | Tennis, Sports Extra
By: Austin Siegel
Bring the energy.
It sounds simple enough for Lilla Barzo. But the circumstances for the K-State senior in 2021 have made that a bit of a challenge.
No fans. Nothing on the indoor courts at Body First Tennis Center to help Barzo play the game within the game and stay locked in no matter what her opponent is doing.
She came into matches against Wichita State and Arizona last weekend with one singles' win in the spring season and searching for momentum.
But Barzo knew her coaches were never going to quit on her.
"That boosted me and was the most important thing for my trust and belief," she said. "I was struggling in the second set of today's match, but I went for it and just started playing my own game. I was happy to be able to win."
Barzo's perfect weekend included a pair of doubles and singles win in Manhattan, helping power the Wildcats past Wichita State and Arizona.
Playing out of the five spot, Barzo was the highlight but not the exception for K-State. Up and down the lineup, the Wildcats dominated.
"It could have been very easy for us to come out and have a mental lapse, drop some matches or not really show what we're trying to achieve," head coach Jordan Smith said. "We clamped down and got through it. It wasn't always pretty, but we got out the other side. We should be proud of ourselves."
Against Wichita State, K-State began the afternoon with their backs against the wall. The Shockers took the doubles' point on Friday, but Smith's team refused to quit.
"It was a pretty tough conversation that we had between doubles and singles," Smith said. "We've got to own our ability to be good…If you play not to lose, you're not going to play your best. We have great tennis players for a reason. You need to play to win so you can show that greatness."
Barzo was one of the few Wildcats to come out strong with a win against Wichita State in doubles, a hot start that would set the tone for an afternoon when the Hungarian played some of her best tennis of the spring.
On a day when K-State would need at least four wins in singles to compete the comeback, Barzo's victory would be the decisive one, as she cruised against Ting-Ya Hsu of Wichita State 6-1, 6-0, to deliver K-State their first win of the weekend.
"We started to think differently and bring more energy on the court. We weren't afraid of losing," she said. "We just wanted to win."
It's a mindset that would make her head coach proud. And it proved to be prophetic on Sunday, when winning was all K-State did against a Pac-12 opponent.
In a 4-0 sweep of Arizona, Barzo had a hand in the team's victory in doubles' play, winning her second doubles' match of the weekend with freshman partner Manami Ukita.
Smith said back in January that Barzo and Ukita have bonded as roommates and as Barzo helps the team's only freshman with navigating a new language.
That connection was on display over the weekend.
"We live together, which is really important. We have this basic communication so we can understand each other," Barzo said. "But she's really good on the baseline, I'm good at the net so we have that balance. It just works for us."
The Wildcats have now won their last six matches in Manhattan dating back to last season.
K-State will have the weekend off before heading on the road to face SMU and open conference play against Texas Tech in Lubbock.
After two weeks defending home court in Manhattan, with wins over Drake, Denver, Wichita State and Arizona, the 'Cats have four wins in the bank and the mindset to match.
"We just got back in our stride," Smith said. "For us to have our familiar territory and own it, that's what we're trying to do."
Bring the energy.
It sounds simple enough for Lilla Barzo. But the circumstances for the K-State senior in 2021 have made that a bit of a challenge.
No fans. Nothing on the indoor courts at Body First Tennis Center to help Barzo play the game within the game and stay locked in no matter what her opponent is doing.
She came into matches against Wichita State and Arizona last weekend with one singles' win in the spring season and searching for momentum.
But Barzo knew her coaches were never going to quit on her.
"That boosted me and was the most important thing for my trust and belief," she said. "I was struggling in the second set of today's match, but I went for it and just started playing my own game. I was happy to be able to win."
Barzo's perfect weekend included a pair of doubles and singles win in Manhattan, helping power the Wildcats past Wichita State and Arizona.
Playing out of the five spot, Barzo was the highlight but not the exception for K-State. Up and down the lineup, the Wildcats dominated.
"When you play to win, what you worked on in practice, what you are capable of, that is your only mindset."
— K-State Tennis (@KStateTEN) February 22, 2021
🎥 Match Recap vs Wichita State & Arizona#KStateTEN pic.twitter.com/PlJGn6PD7p
"It could have been very easy for us to come out and have a mental lapse, drop some matches or not really show what we're trying to achieve," head coach Jordan Smith said. "We clamped down and got through it. It wasn't always pretty, but we got out the other side. We should be proud of ourselves."
Against Wichita State, K-State began the afternoon with their backs against the wall. The Shockers took the doubles' point on Friday, but Smith's team refused to quit.
"It was a pretty tough conversation that we had between doubles and singles," Smith said. "We've got to own our ability to be good…If you play not to lose, you're not going to play your best. We have great tennis players for a reason. You need to play to win so you can show that greatness."
Barzo was one of the few Wildcats to come out strong with a win against Wichita State in doubles, a hot start that would set the tone for an afternoon when the Hungarian played some of her best tennis of the spring.
On a day when K-State would need at least four wins in singles to compete the comeback, Barzo's victory would be the decisive one, as she cruised against Ting-Ya Hsu of Wichita State 6-1, 6-0, to deliver K-State their first win of the weekend.
"We started to think differently and bring more energy on the court. We weren't afraid of losing," she said. "We just wanted to win."
It's a mindset that would make her head coach proud. And it proved to be prophetic on Sunday, when winning was all K-State did against a Pac-12 opponent.
In a 4-0 sweep of Arizona, Barzo had a hand in the team's victory in doubles' play, winning her second doubles' match of the weekend with freshman partner Manami Ukita.
Smith said back in January that Barzo and Ukita have bonded as roommates and as Barzo helps the team's only freshman with navigating a new language.
That connection was on display over the weekend.
"We live together, which is really important. We have this basic communication so we can understand each other," Barzo said. "But she's really good on the baseline, I'm good at the net so we have that balance. It just works for us."
The Wildcats have now won their last six matches in Manhattan dating back to last season.
K-State will have the weekend off before heading on the road to face SMU and open conference play against Texas Tech in Lubbock.
After two weeks defending home court in Manhattan, with wins over Drake, Denver, Wichita State and Arizona, the 'Cats have four wins in the bank and the mindset to match.
"We just got back in our stride," Smith said. "For us to have our familiar territory and own it, that's what we're trying to do."
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