The theme of the day was grab it.

The women’s tennis team had a chance to end its losing skid (at seven matches) against an Ole Miss squad that has lost five of its last six. Early in the match coach Jenny Mainz said she could see the pressure to right the ship affecting the Rebels.

That pressure wasn’t enough to overcome Alabama’s own early match troubles as the Rebels won 4-2.

“It’s [starting slow] sweeping our legs from underneath us, because we’re fighters,” Mainz said. “So we’re competing and getting back into the match, but when you give somebody a huge lead you can fight back but sometimes the hole’s too big and you can’t get back.”

Mainz said she will continue to mix things up until the team gets the start it needs even if that means splitting up junior Erin Routliffe and freshman Andie Daniell.

On Thursday, Daniell played doubles with Danielle Spielmann. The two were unable to close things out on their court before Ole Miss took the doubles point, but both beat their opponents in singles play.

“[Daniell’s] a champion. She wants to get better, and she’s literally working right through it [the adversity],” Mainz said. “She can be an All-American this year. I said that from the beginning.”

After the match, Daniell said prior experience with her opponent (she faced her in the fall) helped her in singles match. She also got a lot out of the speaker Mainz brought to speak to the team prior to the match- Alabama football’s strength and conditioning coach, Scott Cochran..

“One thing that stuck out to me was play to play,” Daniell said. “He kept saying that. I mean I’m not really sure what it meant to everyone else, but to me it was just kind of like just go out there play. He said have fun.”

The women’s tennis team will return to action at home on Saturday at 1 p.m. against No. 27 Mississippi State.