Hoosiers look to win on road

Head Coach Randy Bloemendaal and the IU men’s tennis team will compete against No. 42 University of Louisville today in Louisville, Ky. This match will be their third consecutive away competition. 

Indiana is currently on a two-match losing streak and still looking for that first victory away from home.

The Cardinals have been undefeated at home, where they have obtained five of
their eight victories this season.

The Hoosiers will have to find a way to get the Cardinals out of their comfort zone if they want to walk away with their first road win. Indiana has just two road matches left before they play again in Bloomington.

The players have been doing a fair amount of traveling in the past few weeks.

“Our travel is spread out enough to where we should be OK in getting our proper rest and doing what we need to do,” Bloemendaal said.

Bloemendaal said he believes if his players do what they are supposed to do and stay focused, then they should be ready to compete no matter where they travel. The Hoosiers have a shortened week this week as they just competed against No. 23 Harvard University four days ago.

IU lost to Harvard 4-3 Sunday, and Louisville played against IU the following day, losing 4-3 as well. Both teams are looking to rebound in today’s match.

“You have to get better on the road,” Bloemendaal said. “You can’t get away with some of the stuff you get away with at home and still win.”

The Cardinals have a weapon with sophomore Sebastian Stiefelmeyer from Austria. He is just one spot away from being in the top 100 singles college players in the nation.
However, the Cardinals faced the Hoosiers in January at the Four Conference Showdown, in which Stiefelmeyer lost three sets against IU’s freshman Sam Monette.

Stiefelmeyer was ranked No. 82 at the time, and IU went 2-2 in doubles competition against Louisville.

Because the Hoosiers have already played the Cardinals, they have a feel for what is to come out of them.

While the teams previously competed in Florida at a neutral site, now they will be in the Cardinals’ own backyard, from which no team has emerged victorious.

The competition will start at 4 p.m. in the Bass Rudd Tennis Center.