IU faces big weekend against tested teams

The No. 60 IU men's tennis team enters hostile territory this weekend with its perfect spring season on the line. At 4-0, the Hoosiers face No. 32 Louisville and No. 39 Middle Tennessee State in matches that could test how good IU really is.\nIU is 14-3 all-time against the Cardinals -- all three of those losses for IU, however, came at Brass-Rudd Tennis Center in Louisville, Ky., where the Hoosiers are 5-3. The Hoosiers are also 5-3 all-time against Middle Tennessee State, but have historically performed well in Murfreesboro, Tenn., with a 4-1 record. \n"(Louisville) was competitive when we played them in the fall (in the Cincinnati Collegiate Invitational)," said senior Neil Kenner. "It should be a lot more difficult at their place because they have a lot of crazy fans."\nThe Hoosiers fared well against Louisville in the first tournament of the fall season. Senior Dmytro Ishtuganov and sophomore Michael McCarthy both won tough three-set matches at the No. 1 and 4 spots. Junior David Bubenicek and Kenner made easy work of their matches in September against the Cardinals with straight set victories. And at the No. 2 spot, sophomore Dara McLoughlin lost to Jeremy Clark in a close two-set match. \nThe Dublin, Ireland native has a chance to settle the score tomorrow, though.\n"I had my chances," McLoughlin said. "I think I've come a long way since then, so I think I'll do a lot better. I'm starting to get more confidence in my singles game."\nDespite Ishtuganov and Kenner defeating Louisville's top doubles pair in September, the Cardinals came away with the other doubles positions and the doubles point. Since then, the lineup has shuffled significantly. The doubles pairs Louisville saw in Cincinnati have been adjusted.\n"I think we've made some improvements in doubles," said IU coach Ken Hydinger. "We have some good stuff going. We've been working on positioning and poaching, and things like that. I think the guys are picking up on it well."\nIU's last two matches featured a clean sweep at the doubles positions. Ishtuganov and McLoughlin have faired well at the No. 1 position, and Kenner and redshirt freshman Mak Kendall are flourishing as a new pair alternatively at the No. 2 and No. 3 slots. The only constant among the varying doubles teams is freshman Peter Antons and Bubenicek, who are 3-0 in the spring season.\n"Mak's got a good touch and a lot of fire power," Kenner said. "He gets excited on the court and I feed off of that sometimes."\nMiddle Tennessee State is 2-1 on the season entering Saturday's match with the Hoosiers. Last season, the Blue Raiders won the Sun Belt Conference and advanced to the NCAA Tournament. On the way, Middle Tennessee State defeated IU, 4-3, in Bloomington.\n"It's a fight," Hydinger said. "These are brawls. These are matches that will go a long way in getting us into the NCAA Tournament"