Perfection is on the line this weekend as the Northwestern men’s tennis team tries to maintain its undefeated record – and its first-place position – in the Big Ten.
The No. 50 Wildcats welcome No. 57 Indiana to the Combe Tennis Center on Saturday at noon.
This is the third straight dual meet against a ranked Big Ten opponent for the Cats (8-3, 3-0 Big Ten), who are coming off a pair of 4-3 victories over No. 46 Michigan and No. 60 Michigan State.
“Because of how well our competition went last weekend, this match is easier to concentrate on,” head coach Paul Torricelli said.
For NU, winning will be easier said than done. Saturday’s match is the Big Ten opener for the Hoosiers (6-3), who ended a two-meet losing streak their last time out with a win over Evansville.
The Cats last faced the Hoosiers in the fall season at the Midwest Omni Hotel Regional Championships. NU topped Indiana 4-1 at the October event.
But when the two teams last met in a regular-season matchup in April 2001, the Hoosiers edged the Cats 4-3 – a loss Torricelli hasn’t forgotten.
“Last year, we lost an intense match,” he said. “We’d like to avenge that. Indiana lost some players from last year. It might be a building year for them, but we can’t take them lightly.”
Torricelli highlighted the importance of the doubles point in this weekend’s contest. The NU duo of Tommy Hanus and Jackie Jenkins is ranked No. 57 in doubles, while the Hoosiers come in without a ranked pair.
In the Cats’ duals last weekend, Torricelli switched his lineup, giving the freshman Hanus his first try at the No. 1 singles spot. Hanus lost to No. 57 Henry Beam of Michigan, but he and fellow NU freshman Chuck Perrin gained experience in NU’s team victory.
“We’ve faced tough competition versus Michigan, Michigan State and Purdue,” Perrin said. “So to get through those was a real confidence booster, and we’re ready for Indiana.”
NU will enjoy the home-court advantage this weekend after playing its last five matches on the road.
Attendance has been larger since the Combe Tennis Center opened in January, and Cats fans have been boisterous this year. Perrin said the team’s followers are excited about NU’s new indoor courts.
Describing the home crowd as “awesome” and “enthusiastic,” Perrin said, “I sometimes feel bad for our opponents.”
