Northwestern’s freshmen men’s tennis players got off on the right foot last weekend. But their first true tests come in the next two days.
The Wildcats (2-0) will face No. 43 Virginia on Saturday, followed by their Big Ten opener against No. 15 Minnesota on Sunday.
Last weekend’s season-opening wins against Weber State and Utah were preparation for the rigid competition the Cats will face in Minnesota.
“Last weekend were warm-up matches we expected to win,” said coach Paul Torricelli, whose team is ranked No. 58 in the nation. “So this is a huge test for us. We have our first two really tough matches now, so we’re excited.”
And Torricelli said he thinks his team is ready for the increased competition.
“We had a really tough finish last year, so the older guys are really excited to get going now,” he said. “Plus we have nine guys capable of playing this year, so we have real depth, which is really exciting for us.”
Torricelli said he hopes his freshmen will ride the wave of confidence they gained in their first victories.
One of the youngsters who shined last weekend was Wentorf, Germany, native Christian Tempke.
Torricelli and Tempke both said the experience against Utah and Weber State was good preparation for the younger players, who will face a more difficult test against the Cavaliers and Gophers.
“Last week was a good beginning, especially for the freshmen to start with a win,” Tempke said. “Everyone on the team is excited, and motivated and in shape. We’re ready to go against the better teams.”
Like the Cats, Virginia is a young team with six sophomores. Torricelli said NU’s biggest challenge will come against Cavaliers sophomore Doug Stewart, the No. 25 player in the nation. Stewart won the 2003 Atlantic Coast Conference Freshman of the Year Award and the 2003 ACC Indoor singles title earlier this month.
As is often the case, the team will look to juniors Chuck Perrin and Tommy Hanus for upperclassman leadership. Both won their matches last weekend at NU’s No. 1 and No. 2 spots, and they will be crucial to the team’s success this weekend, Torricelli said.
Following their match against Virginia, the Cats will have less than 24 hours rest before facing Minnesota, meaning stamina could be a factor in Sunday’s matches, Torricelli said.
The Gophers play Virginia on Friday, but will have Saturday to rest before squaring off against NU. Minnesota has the second-highest national ranking in the Big Ten, behind No. 1 Illinois.
This weekend’s competition will be the first dual matches for both Virginia and Minnesota.
The Cats are excited to open Big Ten play, Torricelli said, but they can’t overlook Virginia.
“Our team is competitive and motivated,” Torricelli said. “Both matches will be equally tough, but we’re ready to go.”
