Kelly Calligan, File Photo

SDSU is coming off three straight wins to open Mountain West Conference play and now stands at 10-6 (3-0 in the MWC).

Things seem to be going well right now for the Aztecs.

However, SDSU’s recent opponents pale in comparison to the team it will face at 2 p.m. on Saturday at the Aztec Tennis Center.

The No. 2 Pepperdine Waves have started the year at 23-1 and are fresh off a 6-1 drubbing of Santa Clara last Sunday.

Although SDSU may not have the impressive record of Pepperdine, many players say they haven’t played up to their potential yet.

“We find a way,” senior Benedikt Stronk said. “Except (junior Christian Groh), none of us felt great (during conference play). But most of us just came through. If you don’t play well and still win, that’s a very good thing.”

However, head coach Gene Carswell knows they cannot afford to have to battle back against the Waves.

“We need to be good coming out of the gates or we are going to get run over,” Carswell said. “Doubles is going to be a large point of this match. Doubles is only one point, but it does a lot in setting the tone.”

The problem for the Aztecs is that the Waves’ best strength might be their doubles, as they feature the No.1 doubles team in the nation. Scott Doerner and Andre Begemann have gone 20-1 this season and present a tough tandem for SDSU.

Carswell said the Aztecs will likely counter with their top doubles duo in No. 21 Stronk and junior Markus Dickhardt, and that the match will come down to how SDSU plays in the return game.

“Strong service returns will be needed,” Carswell said. “(Pepperdine’s double teams) play good attacking tennis. They aren’t going to make a lot of mistakes, and we will need to play our best tennis.”

For the Aztecs, their best tennis of late has been played by Groh, who has won seven straight matches after struggling with an injury earlier in the year.

“Now that he’s healthy, I think that plays into how he’s playing,” Carswell said. “He’s looking a lot more fit and strong out there. He’s really doing well moving up to balls. He’s such a good ball-striker, so when he’s in (the right) position he’s going to be tough.”