March 30, 2005
EVANSTON, Ill. - For the first time in over a month and a half, the Northwestern men's tennis team returns home this weekend, where the Wildcats are an impressive 6-2 this season. Saturday and Sunday, April 2 and 3, Indiana and Penn State come to town for a pair of noon matches. Favorable weather conditions could see the `Cats playing outside at the Vandy Christie Tennis Center for the first time this year.
Prior to Saturday's match against the Hoosiers, Northwestern will honor Art C. Nielsen, Jr., whom Court Six of the Combe Tennis Center was named after in recognition of his generous contribution to NU.
No. 54 Indiana (8-8, 2-1) has won four straight matches, three of which were swept, 7-0. Last weekend, Indiana beat in-state rival Purdue, 5-2, for the first time in the schools' last 10 meetings.
Six Hoosiers are riding singles winning streaks of three or better. David Bubenicek has won his last nine matches and holds his team's best dual mark at 12-1. Doubles teams Dmytro Ishtuganov and Jakub Praibis, and Ryan Recht and John Stone have each won their last six doubles matches.
No. 63 Penn State (12-3, 1-2) is riding a three-match winning streak, most recently earning its first Big Ten victory of the season over Purdue, 5-2. PSU dropped the doubles point, but rallied to win five singles matches.
When the Nittany Lions win, they win big. Eight of their 12 victories have come by a 7-0 count. Nevertheless, history will be on the Wildcats's side, as they hold a 14-1, all-time mark against Penn State.
This weekend is a brief homestand for the `Cats, who continue competition Saturday and Sunday, April 9 and 10, at Minnesota and Iowa.