Six months of regular-season tournaments and dual matches culminate this weekend as the Northwestern men’s tennis team travels to Wisconsin and Iowa.
The ride from Evanston to Madison, Wis., and Iowa City, Iowa, may be a long one for NU players weighing their individual and team NCAA tournament chances. The Wildcats cannot look too far in advance, however, as coach Paul Torricelli knows that pulling out victories this weekend will be enough to focus on.
“Anytime you play a Big Ten opponent on the road it’s hard,” Torricelli said. “Our two (Big Ten) wins have been 4-3 at home.
“Iowa and Wisconsin are two very dangerous teams. Wisconsin is more talented and has played tough matches.”
The Badgers come calling Saturday. The team’s difficult schedule has led to a mediocre 8-10 record — 3-5 in Big Ten play. Recent blow-out losses to Michigan and Indiana will make Wisconsin hungry for victory.
NU’s doubles pair of Joost Hol and Brad Erickson, the two players with the best chance of qualifying for the postseason, will likely face Wisconsin’s David Chang and Adam Schumacher in No. 1 doubles. The two lost in straight sets to Chang and Scott Rutherford in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association regional semifinals in early November.
“(The match) is tough — but winnable,” Erickson said.
After leaving Madison, the Cats will travel to face an Iowa team that has been battered in Big Ten play.
Erickson’s battle at No. 1 singles with Iowa’s Tyler Cleveland will be the marquee matchup. Erickson is hoping to pull off an upset that would impress the NCAA tournament selection committee. An Erickson victory would hand Cleveland his first conference loss of the season.
Erickson lost to Cleveland 7-6, 6-1 in the ITA Regional finals last fall.
After this weekend’s matches and the Big Ten championships April 27-30, the tournament picture will become much clearer for the Cats. Only two teams per region get automatic selections to the regionals in May, and NU will be competing with Big Ten teams that have beaten them already this season.
If the Cats fail to qualify by means of an automatic bid, they still have a shot at one of the 16 at-large bids.
Last year, victories over Penn State and Michigan in Big Tens propelled NU into regionals, where it lost to third-seeded Illinois. Big wins this weekend could once again be the difference.
“At best we’re a bubble team,” Torricelli said. “We don’t have enough quality wins. At this point we need to win every time we go out. Whatever happens afterward happens.”
