Hoosiers start Big Ten season with a defeat

The IU men's tennis team looked forward to the challenge Northwestern would present in the conference opener. The challenge would take the form of a 5-2 loss against the Wildcats Saturday. The Hoosiers (6-4, 0-1 Big Ten) opened up their four-game road trip with a difficult setback at\nNorthwestern (9-3, 4-0). \nIU's only two points in the match came from freshman Jakub Praibis and freshman Tom Bagnato, two players who had never won a conference match. Praibis won 6-4, 3-6, 6-3, and Bagnato won 5-7, 6-4, 7-5. \nThe Hoosiers failed to win the doubles point, but Praibis and freshman Reid Strand managed a 8-3 win at the No. 2 doubles position. \nThe Hoosiers haven't won a road contest this spring, failing in three attempts. The team next travels to Mobile, Ala., to compete outdoors against Clemson and South Alabama. The Hoosiers play the Tigers Mar. 10 at 10 a.m. and the Jaguars Mar. 12 at 1:30 p.m.