The team will hit the road for two big SEC matches: the University of Tennessee first on Friday at 1 p.m., then the University of Kentucky on Sunday at noon.
“I think they are two very dangerous programs to play on the road,” Husack said. “While their records may not indicate that they’ve been doing very well this year, they’re both very tough.”
Tennessee holds a 2-4 record in conference but has only lost one match at home this season. Kentucky is winless (0-6) in conference – this will probably change before it plays Alabama. Unlike Tennessee, Kentucky has a 5-6 record for matches played at home.
“These teams, they’re both very good, but they’re both very vulnerable,” senior Stuart Kenyon said.
Kenyon said he sees this as Alabama’s opportunity to step on them and win. However, playing on the road is always tougher than playing at home and these two teams have been in the top 10 for the last 10 years, Husack said.
Sophomore Sean Donohue said he prefers these matches be away.
“Beat them on their home turf,” he said. “Especially UK – it’s my home state – going after them hard right now.”
In order to be successful, Husack said the players need to fight their hardest and play as if it is their last match of the season.
“Not for the sake of winning, but play as if we’re not going to play together again,” he said.
Husack acknowledged he has a close-knit group of guys as a team, but they have not all been showing up on the same days, which is when they don’t succeed. He said he needs everyone to be ready to play even before the first ball is served.
“We all need to make the decision before we step on the court for the warm-up that from the first guy all the way down to the eighth guy, we all need to be one squad here,” Donohue said. “We need to be just one idea, one heartbeat.”
It’s a collective effort, Husack said. Every player needs to fight his hardest individually and with the team.
“I expect absolute dog fights on both Friday and Sunday,” Husack said.
