The Hoosiers know the importance of every match.
“Every match we play, there’s a possibility it could be the last of the season,” IU Coach Jeremy Wurtzman said. “We know that going in that we want to make the postseason and make the NCAA Tournament.”
The Hoosiers are the ?No. 5 seed. Their first matchup is against rival Purdue.
No. 5 IU plays No. 12 seed Purdue at 11 a.m. today at ?Illinois.
“Not only is Purdue our biggest in-state rival — I don’t want to say as a tennis program but as a school — it’s our biggest rival,” Wurtzman said. “We know that match means a little bit more than just the end of the season rather than how important it is to beat Purdue.”
IU (17-10, 6-5) has already seen Purdue this season, capturing a 4-0 home victory for the Hoosiers. On neutral courts, the Hoosiers are 4-2. However, the stakes are higher at the Big Ten Tournament.
“When you’re at the Big Ten Tournament, obviously you can say it’s another match,” Wurtzman said. “But any match you play at the Big Ten Tournament, it’s probably going to mean a little bit more only because all of the teams are there and you’re there playing for a ?championship.
“I think we all know that we want our season to continue. We’ve worked hard this season to reach our goals, so we’re going to try to focus on it being just another match, but I think we’re going to know that it means a little bit more.”
Purdue (4-19, 0-11) has struggled this year. On neutral courts it is 0-5. However, this bitter rivalry transcends records.
“I think us winning the first match probably gives them a little bit more incentive because they’re thinking they want to get revenge on us and we know that,” Wurtzman said.
He went on to say the previous meeting also provided IU with a look at Purdue’s players. The Hoosiers will not be surprised by their opponents, but they know not to take them for granted.
“We know it’s going to be a tough match and probably tougher than the last time we played,” Wurtzman said.
If the Hoosiers win, they will play No. 4 seed Northwestern at 11 a.m. Friday. The Hoosiers are not overlooking their match against Purdue, though.
“We definitely expressed that Purdue is the only team that we are focusing on now, and we’re not focusing on any team that we play if we move on, only Purdue,” Wurtzman said. “I think that it’s enough motivation for it being a rival as well as being a very important match for us to move on.”
