April 4, 2012
No. 48 Northwestern (11-6, 4-1 Big Ten) vs. No. 57 Michigan State (14-8, 3-3 Big Ten)
Friday, April 6
Vandy Christie Tennis Center
Evanston, Ill. 1:30 p.m.
Live Results: NUsports.com
Twitter updates: @NU_SportsLIVE
No. 48 Northwestern (11-6, 4-1 Big Ten) vs. No. 28 Michigan (11-5, 4-1 Big Ten)
Sunday, April 8
Vandy Christie Tennis Center
Evanston, Ill. 12:00 p.m.
Live Results: NUsports.com
Twitter updates: @NU_SportsLIVE
EVANSTON, Ill. -- No. 48 Northwestern will look to expand upon its four-match winning streak when it welcomes a pair of Big Ten foes to the Vandy Christie Tennis Center this weekend. The Wildcats first host the 57th-ranked Michigan State Spartans Friday at 1:30 p.m., then the 28th-ranked Michigan Wolverines Sunday at noon.
Winning Ways Continue:
Northwestern has won four straight matches, all of which have come in Big Ten play. Following a two-week hiatus, the Wildcats won a pair of contests on the road against Iowa and Nebraska on March 23 and 25. The team returned home to knock off Minnesota and Wisconsin last weekend in its first matches of the year at the Vandy Christie Tennis Center. The 'Cats opened the 2012 season by winning five straight matches.
Climbing The Charts:
The Wildcats climbed five spots this week and are ranked No. 48 in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) poll that was released Tuesday. It's the highest distinction of the season for Northwestern and it's highest ranking for the program since Jan. 26, 2010 when it was ranked 36th in the country.
Pasareanu Performs Under Pressure:
Freshman Alex Pasareanu had another outstanding weekend for the Wildcats against Minnesota and Wisconsin. Playing at No. 5 singles, Pasareanu closed out Jack Hamburg of the Golden Gophers in a winner-take-all three-set match, 7-5, 5-7, 7-5. The newcomer has a personal three-match winning streak and nine victories in singles play this season. That number ranks third for Northwestern.
Raleigh Rolls Along:
Northwestern's standout sophomore Raleigh Smith leads the team with a record of 13-4 in singles play this spring. Smith is 4-1 in Big Ten play and has won five of his last seven matches overall. The Miami, native, along with doubles partner Alex Pasareanu, boasts a team-high 10 wins in that format as well.
Jacked Up:
The longest current winning streak on the roster belongs to junior Chris Jackman. Jackman has won four matches in a row, all in Big Ten play. On March 15 against Nebraska, the junior clinched the team's second straight road win with a comeback victory over Tom Blackwell. The Florida, native is 6-3 overall in singles play in 2012.
Gulliver Guys:
Northwestern boasts two players on its current roster who played together before coming to north to Evanston. Chris Jackman and sophomore Raleigh Smith played together in high school at Gulliver Prep in Miami, Fla. The school won three Florida State Championships during Jackman's tenure at the school and a fourth straight during Smith's senior season. Jackman was the Florida Player of the Year in 2008 and Smith was a three-time individual champion.
Wolf Reps In Rankings:
Junior Spencer Wolf is Northwestern's lone ranked singles player according to the latest list that was released on March 27. He checks in at No. 109. Wolf has won 12 singles matches this season and recently upset Minnesota's 80th-ranked Leandro Toledo this past weekend. He also delivered the match-clinching win on Sunday when he defeated Rod Carey of Wisconsin in three grueling sets.
Welcoming Big Ten's Best:
Mark your calendars now for the 2012 Big Ten Men's Tennis Tournament. Northwestern will host the annual event April 26-29 at the Vandy Christie Tennis Center. The top four seeds will receive byes until the quarterfinals, while seeds 5-12 will duke it out on the first day of competition. Admission for all four days is free! For more information, please visit the Tournament Central page.
Welcome Home:
After playing their first nine home matches of the season indoors at the Combe Tennis Center, it is expected that the Wildcats will be able to head outside this weekend to take on the Gophers and Badgers at the Vandy Christie Tennis Center. Please note that all varsity matches for both the men's and women's teams will be held on the six courts south of Dartmouth St. between Dartmouth and Noyes Ave.
In the event of inclement weather, matches will be moved indoors to the Combe Tennis Center.
Scouting the Spartans:
Michigan State arrives to Evanston with 14 wins on the season, including three in a row in Big Ten play. The Spartans jumped into the rankings at No. 57 this week after posting impressive victories against No. 23 Indiana and No. 65 Purdue last weekend.
Michigan State's roster has five players that have each tallied double-digit wins so far this season, led by Aaron Pfister and Gijs Linders, who each have 12 victories in singles play. The doubles tandem of Pfister and Drew Lied are ranked No. 57 in the country. They are 6-6 together this spring.
Scouting the Wolverines:
No. 28 Michigan is 11-5 overall and 4-1 in the Big Ten this spring. The Wolverines are currently tied for third place in the Big Ten with Northwestern. Both teams sit one match behind Ohio State and Ilinois, which are both undefeated in conference play.
The maize-and-blue-clad unit has been led by senior Evan King, who currently holds the No. 10 singles ranking from the ITA. He is 14-2 in dual matches this season. King is far from a one-dimensional player; along with partner Shaun Bernstein, the senior is ranked No. 11 nationally in doubles.
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