The No. 35 Wisconsin men's tennis team will hit the road this weekend for a pair of Big Ten dual matches, at No. 39 Indiana Saturday followed by a showdown with No. 2 Ohio State Sunday.
The Badgers (4-1 Big Ten, 12-7 overall) have won five of their last six matches, including a convincing home sweep last weekend. UW took out No. 66 Purdue, 6-1, and followed up with a 5-2 upset victory over then-No. 15 Illinois the next day. The win over the Fighting Illini marked the third consecutive triumph for the Badgers over a ranked opponent.
The pair of wins also bumped the Badgers up 10 spots to No. 35 in the latest Intercollegiate Tennis Association Collegiate Tennis Rankings.
This weekend's outlook is not much different, or much easier, for the Badgers. Saturday, the Badgers head to Bloomington, Ind., to take on the Hoosiers (2-2, 12-5), who will be playing the second of a three-match home stand. Indiana boasts several impressive victories on the season, including a 4-3 win on Feb. 5 over No. 37 Kentucky, where UW head coach Greg Van Emburgh was formerly an assistant.
On Sunday, the Badgers tangle with Ohio State (4-0, 21-1), a perennial powerhouse and the conference's first-place squad, in a match that could have Big Ten title implications down the road.
The Buckeyes feature four singles players ranked in the top 120 in the nation, including three players in the top 35, as well as two doubles pairs ranked in the top 30. One of these athletes, junior Bryan Koniecko, the country's 18th-ranked player, is the conference's reigning Big Ten Athlete of the Week. Koniecko is currently riding a nine-match unbeaten streak. With his recent honors, the Buckeyes set a Big Ten record with six Athlete of the Week awards in one season.
The Buckeyes overwhelmed the Hoosiers 6-1 on Wednesday night.
Several Badgers have been impressive so far this spring season. Senior Nolan Polley continues to be UW's most consistent player. Primarily competing at the No. 2 singles spot, Polley is unbeaten in Big Ten play and boasts a stellar 13-3 mark in dual match play this spring. Sophomore Michael Dierberger is also unbeaten in conference competition. Freshman Marek Michalicka has done just as well, registering a 16-1 record thus far in the spring season playing in the top-four singles slots.
Women's Squad
The Wisconsin women's tennis team will host a pair of ranked foes as No. 28 Indiana and No. 29 Ohio State visit Nielsen Tennis Stadium this weekend.
The Badgers (0-5 Big Ten, 7-10 overall) are still seeking their first conference victory following a pair of losses last weekend on the road. The Badgers were defeated 6-1 by No. 62 Illinois Saturday and were then beat 4-3 Sunday afternoon at Purdue.
Saturday, they will take on the Hoosiers (4-0, 15-4), who had their eight-match winning streak snapped with a 6-1 home loss to No. 20 Notre Dame last Sunday.
The Hoosier lineup features no ranked players, but poses a very balanced attack, with four singles players recording double-digit victory totals in dual matches thus far.
The Buckeyes (3-1, 16-3), whom UW will face on Sunday, are a hot team as well, having won their last four matches and 10 of their last 11. Ohio State has won 17 consecutive doubles points in dual match play.
