The Terrapin men’s tennis team knows it will have its hands full with its first true test on Saturday against Purdue.

It will be the first road match of the season for the undefeated Terps, and should give coach Jim Laitta a good barometer of how his team matches up with better competition.

“It’s by far going to be our toughest match so far,” Laitta said. “It should give us an idea of where we stand.”

Laitta also wants to see how his team will react both mentally and physically, and if they can continue to improve against higher competition.

“Whenever you play on the road, you have to step up mentally,” Laitta said. “This match should gauge us mentally and physically against a good opponent.”

A key factor will be how the freshmen react to their first away match and if they can keep competing at a high level.

“It’s going to be different for the new guys,” he said. “Purdue’s a Big Ten school and they usually have a big crowd turnout for their matches, so we won’t have the support that we’re used to having at home.”

Junior co-captain Andrew Orban echoed Laitta’s importance of the freshmen’s play against the Boilermakers, but added that he thinks the team is prepared.

“It is a great chance for our freshmen to get a good taste of college tennis,” Orban said. “I feel like we are playing very well and are in a good position to get a good win this weekend.”

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