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(03/08/04 5:40am)
When the Hoosiers took the court Friday against Northwestern in their Big Ten opener, it once again turned into a "Maalox Moment," as the match wasn't decided until the end. But the Hoosiers fell short to the Wildcats 4-3, to fall to 5-5 on the year and 0-1 in the Big Ten.\nThis is the second loss in a row for IU, and its fourth loss this season by a score of 4-3. All of the losses during the five-match homestand were by the same 4-3 score.\nThe Hoosiers seemed to have the momentum early in the match as they held their annual "Dinner with Doubles." The crowd of 250 was the largest of the season and was a major factor during the doubles matches, junior Tom Bagnato said, as IU was able to win the doubles point to get the early 1-0 lead in the match.\n"In the doubles, they seemed to be pretty rambunctious crowd," Bagnato said. "I don't think any of us have played to a crowd like this before, and I think it helped us."\nThough the Hoosiers were able to strike first by getting the doubles point, the Hoosiers were unable to capitalize, dropping four of the six singles matches.\nIn dropping those four matches, IU for the first time all season dropped No. 1 and 2 singles. Juniors Jakub Praibis and Ryan Recht were both involved in three set matches but were unable to come away with wins. Many of the matches were close throughout the night, as five of the six singles matches were three-setters. \nOne of the winners was sophomore John Stone (8-4), who is on a seven-match winning streak, including a win over Adam Schaechterle of Northwestern, 6-4, 3-6, 7-6.\nWith the loss against Northwestern, the main thing for the Hoosiers will be to remain focused and stay headstrong for the rest of the year, Stone said.\n"We have got to keep a positive attitude and not lose faith," Stone said. "Once that happens, the season is over. That is what happened last year when we started 3-0 in the Big Ten and then lost seven in a row."\nThe match against Northwestern was the conclusion of a five-match homestand for IU in which they finished 2-3 and marks the beginning of a three-match stretch away from the IU Tennis Center.\nThe Hoosiers will start at 2 p.m. Wednesday, when they will battle the No. 15 Kentucky Wildcats (6-3) in Lexington, Ky., at the Hillary J. Boone Varsity Tennis Complex. This will also kick off the start of the outdoor tennis season for IU.\n"I think we are little bit better outdoors than we are indoors," IU coach Ken Hydinger said.\n-- Contact staff writer Dan Click at daaclick@indiana.edu.
(03/05/04 5:23am)
IU looks to finish up its five-match homestand on a positive note by starting the Big Ten season against No. 44 Northwestern (9-4, 1-1) at 5 p.m. today at the IU Tennis Center.\nThus far on the homestand, the Hoosiers have split four matches, with victories over Ball State and North Carolina State, and will be looking to finish strong. \nThe Hoosiers (5-4) look to have their hands full, as the battle-tested Wildcats have already defeated three ranked opponents, including two in the top-25 with Pepperdine and Arkansas. Northwestern is led by four upperclassmen and picked up its first Big Ten win of the season last week in a 4-3 decision against Wisconsin.\nGetting off to a good start in the conference season is important, especially because of the previous two seasons, where the Hoosiers were a combined 4-16 in the conference, junior Tom Bagnato said.\n"I think particularly this year we have to do well in the Big Ten to build up our NCAA credentials," Bagnato said. "I know I'm looking to make a mark in the Big Ten season this year."\nAlong with the conference opener at home, IU wants to take advantage of the opportunity to play in front of more fans tonight, as the Hoosiers host their annual "Dinner with Doubles." \nThe event will begin with the first match and will include an all-you-can-eat menu of pizza, breadsticks, salad and soda, provided by Pizza Hut East, which will be served until 7 p.m. There will also be a raffle later in the evening in which IU tennis apparel and clothing can be won.\n-- Contact staff writer Dan Click at daaclick@indiana.edu.
(03/02/04 4:12am)
Oftentimes, teams boast players from the same state, maybe even the same city, but not usually the same foreign country. The Hoosiers do that in claiming two players from the Czech Republic with freshman David Bubenicek and junior Jakub Praibis.\nBubenicek, a native of Kromeriz, Czech Republic, was mainly drawn to IU for the opportunity to play tennis at a Big Ten school. The education that IU offers was also a factor, as there are many quality programs here that helped persuade Bubenicek in becoming a Hoosier. Though his time on the court has been limited due to injury, he made the most of his only singles appearance of the season in a key victory against Middle Tennessee State Jan. 24, which helped the Hoosiers to a 4-3 victory.\nLitomerice, Czech Republic, also provides the Hoosiers with their No. 1 singles player in Praibis. In his three years at IU, he has compiled a 38-17 record, 8-1 in the 2004 season. Praibis became a target of the Hoosiers when former assistant coach Andre Holik scouted Praibis at a tournament. Praibis made the decision to come to IU in 2000. Besides the accomplishments on the court, Praibis has been able to be just as impressive off, as he was named Academic All-Big Ten during the 2003 season.\nFor some college students, going an hour from home is tough, but Praibis and Bubenicek both decided to go over 14 hours and 4,500 plus miles away from their native Czech Republic. So the idea of coming to IU to attend school, playing tennis far from home and living in a different lifestyle was a challenge, Bubenicek said.\n"It wasn't easy at first, but once you are here you have to adapt," Bubenicek said. "Every beginning is hard, you just have to adapt to it."\nBeing able to get two players from the Czech Republic wasn't as hard as it might seem. Though the factors of having to play tennis far from home, cultural differences and homesickness would be considered opposing factors, the Hoosiers did have a couple of advantages -- one was former assistant coach Holik. \nHolik who was a native of the Czech Republic gave IU an upper hand in landing both Praibis and Bubenicek. He was not only able to help the two Czechs by being able to break through the language barrier, Holik was also someone they could trust in his recommendation in coming to Bloomington. \nThe Hoosiers had an additional weapon in getting Bubenicek to come to IU -- Praibis. Praibis and Bubenicek had known each other 10 years prior to them attending IU. The long lasting friendship was a factor in Bubenicek taking the step and coming to Bloomington. Praibis was able to convince an additional player to play for the Hoosiers in Petr Novotny, who graduated last year.\nGetting the right blend of person to go far from home can take some convincing, Praibis said.\n"It's not easy to find good players that are willing to study and are potentially good students," Praibis said. \nFor many players from Europe and the rest of the world, getting to play tennis beyond their late teens involves sacrifice.\nOftentimes, players in this situation are forced to make the decision -- school or tennis? As in many of the situations, if they want to attend college, they won't be able to miss class for a tournament, and likewise, if they are playing in tournaments, they won't have time to attend class. The Hoosiers second advantage came here, as IU could offer both the opportunity to attend college and play tennis at a high level.\nSo when Praibis and Bubenicek saw what IU had to offer, they knew it was good opportunity, to do both, said IU coach Ken Hydinger.\n"It's a great opportunity for everyone," Hydinger said. "For all of these kids playing college tennis to get to study at a place like this, play tennis and get court time, shoes and racquets. It's a great deal."\nThe addition of players like Praibis and Bubenicek has been beneficial for the team because of the fact that they bring a different style of play from the Czech Republic. Players oftentimes play on a clay surface, which forces them to be more patient and construct points better. This brings a different dimension to the team, especially since many of the players on the team are from America, Hydinger said.\nBoth players are pleased with their decision to come to IU and play tennis for the Hoosiers because of all the opportunities they have been given, not only in tennis, but also the opportunity to obtain a college education in the U.S.\n"I'm glad that I came to IU," Praibis said. "It's a good experience, it's a different life and it is always interesting to try and live a different life."\n-- Contact staff writer Dan Click at daaclick@indiana.edu.
(03/01/04 5:58am)
IU came into the weekend matches looking to boost its NCAA credentials before the start of Big Ten play by facing off against North Carolina State and No. 27 Virginia at the IU Tennis Center.\nJust like last weekend against Western Michigan, the team was once again in for a battle on the second day of play, as IU was faced with making a comeback against Virginia. But the Hoosiers came up short in a nail bitter, losing 4-3.\nLosing against a good team is tough, but the team has to look beyond just this match, junior Ryan Recht said. \n"It's real tough to come up short again," Recht said. "Virginia is a great team. It is disappointing right now, but we kind of have to look at the bigger picture and know that we are right there with a top 30 team."\nThough the Hoosiers came up on the short end of the 4-3 loss to Virginia (10-1), they were able to pull off upsets in singles, including two against ranked opponents.\nSophomore John Stone was victorious in his match against Darrin Cohen, who was previously unbeaten. This win, combined with his win against North Carolina State Saturday, pushed Stone's record to 7-4 on the year.\nRecht came through, as well, by beating No. 98 Stephen Rozek 6-4, 6-4. This win improved his record to 10-5 on the year. \nIn one of the more heated matches of the day, junior Jakub Praibis came from behind, 1-6, 6-4, 6-4, to defeat No. 18 Doug Stewart, which tied the match up at 3-3 and improved him to 8-1 on the season.\nThis was a pleasant victory, especially after how dramatic the match was, including a disputed call resulting in a big point for Praibis, the junior said. \n"Obviously it feels good to win," Praibis said. "It was very tough, but in the end, I got lucky."\nSaturday, No. 64 IU faced off against North Carolina State and controlled from start to finish. The Hoosiers won 7-0 by winning all the doubles and singles matches. The win improved them to 5-3 on the year.\nThough the team won by a healthy margin, some matches were close throughout, including singles, in which five out of the six went to the third set. Luckily for the Hoosiers, they were able to pick up the victory in all those.\n"It was a tough match all the way," IU coach Ken Hydinger said. "We got down in singles some, but our guys kept working hard and came back. It's not always easy, but the guys are grinding good out there."\nWith the split this weekend against the Cavaliers and the Wolfpack, the Hoosiers went to 5-4 on the season.\nThe team is hoping another close loss to a good team will only motivate them the next time they come out and hopefully result in a win, Recht said.\n"Last time against Western Michigan, I took (the loss) as motivation to get better," Recht said. "We know we are right there. It's just a matter of getting over that little hump, and I have no doubt that we'll do it."\nThe Hoosiers will be looking to get over that hump as they start the Big Ten season against No. 40 Northwestern (9-4, 1-1) at 5 p.m. at the IU Tennis Center.\n-- Contact staff writer Dan Click at daaclick@indiana.edu.
(02/27/04 5:55am)
After a tough loss last weekend to Western Michigan, 4-3, the No. 64 Hoosiers continue their homestand this weekend as they welcome a pair of teams from the Atlantic Coast Conference to the IU Tennis. \nIU first faces off against the North Carolina State Wolfpack at noon Saturday and resumes play at noon Sunday against the No. 27 Virginia Cavaliers.\nThe Wolfpack comes to IU with a record of 3-3 on the beginning of a five-match road trip, which starts at IU. NC State was a winner last time, defeating East Tennessee State. Experience could be a factor in the match, as NC State's roster contains seven underclassmen.\nThe match with the Cavaliers appears to be the most anticipated on paper, as Virginia brings a roster full of ranked players, in addition to a 9-0 record, tying its longest in school history, into Bloomington. \nIn the nine-match stretch, the Cavaliers have been able to beat six ranked opponents, including Minnesota and Northwestern, both from the Big Ten. They will have the opportunity to push their record to 10-0 against No. 1 Illinois Friday before the match with IU Sunday. \nVirginia has two players ranked in the top 100 in singles in No. 18 Doug Stewart, as well as No. 98 Stephen Rozek. The Cavaliers also bring the No. 20 doubles team in the country into the match Sunday.\nFor the Hoosiers, this will be another opportunity to get important victories before the Big Ten season and to boost their NCAA credentials. Getting to face the Cavaliers will be a good opportunity to do so, said IU coach Ken Hydinger.\n"Virginia is a great test," Hydinger said. "They have beat some teams that are in the top 10 in the country, and they are going to be very strong test for us."\nComing off a tough loss, the Hoosiers looked at practice this week as important because of how the match started and ended for the them in their narrow defeat of the Broncos last weekend.\nBringing high energy and working on failed aspects from a week ago should lead to better results in the matches, junior Ryan McCarthy said.\n"I think it is easy to get down in practice after a loss," McCarthy said. "I think going into it with more intensity than you had before, you get more out of it."\nGetting the opportunity to play a top opponent like Virginia is one the Hoosiers are relishing in. Though getting motivated for a highly ranked opponent is easy, the Hoosiers are remaining focused on the idea they should be ready for every opponent, no matter the rank.\nWith the loss last weekend, IU is provided with extra motivation for this weekend's matches against its ACC opponents, sophomore Neil Kenner said.\n"It was like a slap in the face," Kenner said. "We kind of caught ourselves against Western Michigan, and it was a nice little wake-up call that we got to start working harder."\n-- Contact staff writer Dan Click at daaclick@indiana.edu.
(02/24/04 5:05am)
Traditionally most teams' source of leadership comes from those who have been through adversity and carry the most experience -- the seniors. But for the No. 53 Hoosiers, that is not an option, as the team is without any seniors for the 2003-2004 campaign.\nLast season the Hoosiers were able to rely upon then-seniors Zach Held and Peter Novotny who helped guide IU to a 12-11 record and a final ranking of No. 44 in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association standings.\nThis year, the Hoosiers' roster is compiled of eight players, half of which are juniors. Three sophomores and one freshman round out the squad.\nHaving to play this season without any seniors hasn't been a real issue because of the dynamics of the team, which includes three transfers, said sophomore Neil Kenner who transferred in from Washington University in Saint Louis.\n"We only had four guys who played here last year," Kenner said. "Really, I look at those guys as our seniors."\nFor the Hoosiers, the leadership role has been assumed amongst the four juniors -- Tom Bagnato, Ryan McCarthy, Jakub Praibis and Ryan Recht -- who have been leading by example with a combined singles record of 30-20\nWith the junior class being the size it is, it helps provide a variety of perspectives on things for the Hoosiers, Recht said.\n"We can all four look at things and get different perspectives on it and kind of figure the best solution or the best scenario for the whole team," Recht said. "I think it is very beneficial for the team."\nComing into a season without any seniors on the roster might be a worry for some teams, but the Hoosiers have been able to avoid problems with a group of players that is able to feed off each other and give the entire team a boost with each individual's performance.\nHaving a team ready to work hard and have a good attitude has helped make the Hoosiers able to avoid any problems because of the lack off the overused senior leadership mantra, said IU coach Ken Hydinger.\n"I think we are stronger this year than we were last year," Hydinger said. "Just because we don't have any seniors doesn't mean we don't have maturity on the team."\nThough the Hoosiers are without seniors for this season, the team is looking to the 2004-2005 season as a time in which the team will be primed to do well with the entire team returning. This is an extra benefit for the team as they are getting the opportunity to work on and establish team chemistry for this season and next. \nWith the experience that will be returning for the Hoosiers, it will be a team that knows what needs to be done and how to go about accomplishing things, which will be helpful when the freshmen arrive next fall. Having this scenario is a unique situation for the Hoosiers to be in, Hydinger said.\n"I think having everyone back from this year, coming back next year is a big benefit," he said. "This is situation you're not often in (everyone returning), and it will be nice to be in."\nHaving the juniors step up has been a big plus for the Hoosiers, but there is also an extra benefit as well, said Kenner.\n"Ryan Recht is stepping up and definitely acting as our senior," Kenner said. "Recht is better than a senior, because he'll be back along with the rest."\n-- Contact staff writer Dan Click at daaclick@indiana.edu.
(02/23/04 5:37am)
The No. 53 Hoosiers went into the weekend matches looking to pick up important victories to improve their stock for the NCAA tournament. IU was able to blow past Ball State 7-0 but had a tough time and lost a close match to Western Michigan, 4-3, in the final set of the match, which dropped their record to 4-3 on the season.\nThe Hoosiers began play Sunday against a feisty Western Michigan team that had already knocked off one Big Ten opponent and was looking to do the same to the Hoosiers.\nGetting the win was important, especially because it was a large deficit, Ishtuganov said.\n"I was a really good match," he said. "I think we showed a lot of character, and we're able to come back from a tough situation."\nAfter doubles play, things appeared to get rocky for the Hoosiers, as they fell behind in four of the six singles matches. The Hoosiers fought back and were able to get back in the match after falling behind 3-1 to tie it up at 3-3 going into the final match.\nOne of players helping lead the comeback effort for the Hoosiers was junior Tom Bagnato, who was able to win 6-3, 7-6(3).\nThough the team fell behind, being able to claw back into the match and tie it up shows a lot about the team's character, Bagnato said.\n"Everybody on our team is a fighter," he said. "Nothing bothers our team. If we're down, our opponent always knows that we'll make it close or competitive and that no match is over until we shake the other team's hand."\nThings went much better for the Hoosiers against the Ball State Cardinals, as IU rolled to a 7-0 victory against the No. 62 team in the country. \nA sentiment among both players and coaches after the Western Michigan match is that play will have to be more aggressive after doubles matches in order to be successful throughout the rest of the season.\n"I think the one thing we can take away is being really ready to play after doubles," IU coach Ken Hydinger said. "Maybe we got to be a little more eye of the tiger when we come off doubles."\nThe Hoosiers will resume their homestand on Saturday against the North Carolina State Wolfpack at noon at the IU Tennis Center.\n-- Contact staff writer Dan Click at daaclick@indiana.edu.
(02/20/04 5:52am)
After coming up inches short in a 4-3 loss to the University of Louisville Cardinals, the No. 53 Hoosiers welcome a pair of opponents to the IU Tennis Center this weekend in the Ball State Cardinals, at noon Saturday and finishing up Sunday at 2:30 pm against the Western Michigan Broncos.\nThe Cardinals come in with a record of 5-3 and winners of three consecutive matches. Ball State also boasts a roster of six returning players from a team winning the Mid-American Conference and participated in the NCAA tournament.\nWestern Michigan also looks to present a challenge to the Hoosiers as it comes to Bloomington with four seniors while riding a four-match winning streak with a record of 6-2. One of the Broncos victories came against the Big Ten's Wisconsin Badgers by a score of 6-1.\nThough the Hoosiers' opponents come from the MAC conference, it doesn't mean IU will have an easy time this weekend, IU coach Ken Hydinger said.\n"We've had historically tough matches with Ball State," Hydinger said. "Whenever you are playing a conference champion, you got a good match." \nFor the Hoosiers, this weekend will mark the first two of a five-match homestand. In that stretch, the Hoosiers will face-off against four ranked opponents. Beside the Broncos and Cardinals, the Hoosiers will match-up against the No. 29 Virginia Cavaliers, as well as the North Carolina State Wolfpack from the Atlantic Coast Conference. \nThe following week, the Hoosiers will start up Big Ten play with an improving No. 37 Northwestern team March 5. This will also be the same date the team holds its annual Dinners with Doubles event.\nFor the Hoosiers, this is a welcome opportunity to be able to play for the next three weekends at home. Last year, the Hoosiers had to endure a tough stretch in which they had seven consecutive matches on the road while traveling from as far north as Madison, Wisc., to as far south as Atlanta. \n"Five matches at home are huge," sophomore John Stone (4-4) said. "Having homecourt advantage and having loud and proud fans will be nice."\nDoubles play continues to be a mix of good and bad as the Hoosiers got off to an impressive showing against Indiana State and Murray State, but lost all three matches to Louisville. The importance of the point is recognized, but will not be overshadowed by the fact that the match isn't over if doubles is lost.\n"It is obviously an important point," junior Jakub Praibis (5-0) said. "I would never look at it as something bad if we lose doubles though."\nFor the Hoosiers, this five-match stretch at home is being viewed as a big opportunity not only to improve for the rest of the season, but also down the line for a possible NCAA berth at the end of the year, Hydinger said.\n"These matches will have implications on whether or not we get into the NCAA's or not," Hydinger said. "If we beat people that will be in the NCAA's, that will help us. These five matches will be important for that."\n-- Contact staff writer Dan Click at daaclick@indiana.edu.
(02/13/04 6:05am)
After enjoying a successful weekend in which the No. 53 Hoosiers rolled to two wins over Indiana State and Murray State, the Hoosiers hit the road today to face off against No. 62 University of Louisville at the Bass Rudd Center in Louisville.\nThe Hoosiers, winners of three straight, will match-up against the Cardinals for what will be their third match in six days, junior Ryan Recht said.\n"Coach (Ken Hydinger) talked about how nice it would be to get these three wins in a row," Recht said. "We are taking it step-by-step. Just got one more (match) in this little series."\nThe Hoosiers excelled in many aspects of the tennis matches this past weekend, including two wins picked up by the doubles tandem of junior Ryan McCarthy and sophomore Neil Kenner.\nGetting two wins despite lack of experience playing together was important, McCarthy said.\n"It was great to start off with two wins, especially when we weren't playing our best together," McCarthy said. "I think we can only get better from here."\nAnother player who had success over Indiana State and Murray State was Recht, who teamed with sophomore John Stone to pick up two wins as well. \nHaving two different types of matches over the weekend should help us playing better throughout the season, Recht said.\n"On Saturday, we didn't play one of our best matches of the year," Recht said. "Then on Sunday, we played one of our best doubles we have ever played together. It was a big step for us to turn it around on such short notice."\nDespite the Cardinals being losers of four straight after winning their first three, the Hoosiers will not overlook them as they head down to Louisville, Hydinger said.\n"I know they are a good team," Hydinger said. "Louisville always plays tough at home, the last time we went down there they beat us, so there is no way we will overlook them."\nThough the teams share similar opponents in Middle Tennessee State and Murray State, the Hoosiers were 2-0 while the Cardinals were 1-1. Hydinger feels that it doesn't provide an additional advantage because of many factors involved in tennis.\n"If one guy shifts in terms of a lineup, it can shift the entire match lineup," Hydinger said.\nIn order to come away victorious again and push the winning streak to four, the Hoosiers will have to play with confidence, which is where the winning streak can come in good use, McCarthy said.\n"I think it's a confidence thing," McCarthy said. "When we go out there, we know that we're winning, we are talented and we are able to beat whoever we go up against"
(02/09/04 5:14am)
If there was any rust from the week layoff, the No. 51 Hoosiers didn't show it as they cruised to victories over Indiana State, 6-1, and Murray State, 7-0 Saturday and Sunday at the IU Tennis Center.\nSunday, the Hoosiers matched up against the Murray State Racers. IU jumped out to a quick start by winning all three doubles matches. Junior Ryan Recht and sophomore John Stone won the one doubles match 8-0. \nThe second pair of doubles was victorious as well, as junior Jakub Praibis and sophomore Dmytro Ishtuganov won by a score of 8-2, and junior Ryan McCarthy and sophomore Neil Kenner also won 9-7. \nThe Hoosiers carried over the momentum from doubles into singles and swept the singles matches to win by a score of 7-0. At No. 1 singles was Praibis winning by a score of 6-1, 6-0. He was victorious in his match against Indiana State 6-1, 6-0. With both victories Praibis improved to 4-0 on the season.\nGetting off to a good start is something to be happy about, Praibis said.\n"It's great," Praibis said. "But it is just the beginning, it is something I should be satisfied with, but also a loss can come at any time and (I) should be prepared."\nThe Hoosiers began the weekend matches against in state rival Indiana State and came up victorious, improving its record to 2-1 on the season with a 6-1 decision. The Hoosiers swept all the doubles matches, but did run into trouble in No. 1 doubles as Recht and Stone went the distance in a 9-8 (7-5) decision.\n"It is very good to start off the singles 1-0," Stone said. "It was one of those matches you have to win if are you are going to be a good team."\nStone was also victorious in singles against Indiana State, coming back down a set to win 5-7, 6-3, 7-5.\nOver the weekend the Hoosiers turned in many solid performances throughout as Bagnato, Kenner, Praibis and Stone all finished with 2-0 marks in singles. Ishtuganov and Recht also were perfect winning their only singles matches. McCarthy finished 1-1 on the weekend.\nThe overall outcome of the matches was a bit unexpected, IU head coach Ken Hydinger said.\n"I was very surprised at the way the matches went; the scores are really deceptive," Hydinger said. "I was very pleased. It couldn't have gone any better for us."\n-- Contact staff writer Dan Click at daaclick@indiana.edu.
(02/06/04 5:19am)
After coming from behind to defeat Middle Tennessee State University Jan. 24 in Murfreesboro, Tenn. 4-3, the No. 51 Hoosiers enjoyed a week off from action and return this weekend to face a pair of opponents. The Hoosiers first meet up with Indiana State University 12 p.m. Saturday and then play at 11 a.m. Sunday against Murray State, with both matches being held at the IU Tennis Center.\nHaving a week off between matches can sometimes work against a team rather than for it, but junior Tom Bagnato feels it was helpful for the Hoosiers.\n"In this case, I think it was an advantage," Bagnato said. "Some of us players were banged up, so it was pretty fortunate for us to have a week off to heal up and rest up for our weekend matches."\nFor the ISU Sycamores, this will be their first regular season match of the year. The Sycamores recently participated in the Missouri Valley Conference Men's Tennis Individual Championships on Jan. 31. They were able to compile a record of 2-3 in singles play and have one of their doubles teams advance to the semifinal round.\nThe Hoosiers' other opponent for the weekend, the Murray State Racers, has struggled out of the gate so far with a record of 0-2. One of those losses was against Vanderbilt, which is ranked No. 4 in the country.\nUsually getting the opportunity to play against a former school can make a match more intense than usual, but this is not the case for sophomore Dmytro Ishtuganov, who played for the Sycamores last year.\n"They are almost a totally new team from last year," Ishtuganov said. "So for me it will be about 98 percent a usual match."\nFor the Hoosiers, this will mark the first time of many this season in which they will play matches on back-to-back days, and the Hoosiers are welcoming the challenge, said Bagnato.\n"It's more challenging," Bagnato said. "In your second match, you could be sore or hurt or just mentally fatigued, you definitely have to concentrate twice as much and try twice as hard."\nThough the season is still relatively young for Hoosiers, this will be a good test for later in the season, Ishtuganov said. \n"We are still coming into season, and these matches will be both against teams which are unranked nationally," Ishtuganov said. "This will give us a good preparation for our tougher matches later on in the season."\nThough both Indiana State and Murray State are unranked, it doesn't mean the Hoosiers are looking beyond this weekend, IU coach Ken Hydinger said.\n"Indiana State will build this up in their mind as a chance to knock off the bigger in-state foe," Hydinger said. "They (Murray State) have nothing to lose coming up here; an Ohio Valley Conference team beats a Big Ten team, and it would be big."\n-- Contact staff writer Dan Click at daaclick@indiana.edu.
(01/23/04 5:43am)
After coming off a tough home loss, 6-1 against Notre Dame to start the season, the Hoosiers will hit the road to face off against the Middle Tennessee State University Blue Raiders at noon this Saturday at the Racquet Club Indoor Facility in Murfreesboro, Tenn.\nThis will be the second ranked opponent the Hoosiers have gone up against this season, as the Blue Raiders are ranked No. 67 in the country. MTSU has six players that have a winning record in singles and also boasts two nationally-ranked doubles teams. At No. 30 in the country are the tandem of seniors Trevor Short and Kirk Jackson, while the team of sophomore Brandon Allan and freshman Kai Schledorn are No. 46.\nDoubles will play an important role in the match, IU sophomore Neil Kenner said.\n"Doubles sets the tone of the match," Kenner said. "If you get that doubles point, it makes it kind of tough for the other team to come back, being down 1-0."\nComing back from injury and playing in his first match back was junior Jakub Praibis. Praibis was the only Hoosier to pick up a point against Notre Dame and said it was nice to pick up a victory in his first match back.\n"I think I played pretty well," Praibis said. "He (my opponent) was a very good player, so I was obviously happy to win."\nGoing on the road is something that all teams face no matter what the sport, and it is just something that has to be done, IU coach Ken Hydinger said.\n"You got to go on the road and beat good teams on the road," Hydinger said. "You got to play well on the road as well."\nMany of those same sentiments were shared by Kenner.\n"I try to treat each match the same," Kenner said. "I play my hardest no matter who I am against or where I am at."\nAs for improvements, Praibis believes that playing smart ball, thinking more positively with consistent play and not playing out of anger can not only help him, but also the Hoosiers this weekend.\nDespite going on the road after a loss, the Hoosiers have remained confident, Kenner said.\n"I think everyone did a good job not getting too down on themselves after the loss," Kenner said. "I think everyone needs to go in with a positive attitude and be ready to fight and to grind for every point… if we do that we should be alright."\nThough having confidence for the match against the Blue Raiders is important, Hydinger believes that something else is more important.\n"It is nice to be confident, but more important is to keep their determination because there will be times when your confidence is shaken and you got to work through those times," Hydinger said. "I can only think about where our men's basketball team and their confidence level had to be at certain times this season… and now look at them, sitting atop the Big Ten."\n-- Contact staff writer Dan Click at daaclick@indiana.edu.
(01/16/04 5:17am)
After starting the season traveling throughout the Midwest playing in fall tournaments, the No. 51 Hoosiers will begin the regular season by facing the No. 49 Notre Dame Fighting Irish at noon, Saturday at the IU Tennis Center. \nThe Hoosiers will look to continue their success against the Irish, as last year they traveled up to South Bend and defeated Notre Dame, 4-3.\nIU will be up against a formidable opponent in the Irish, who have many returning players, including senior Matthew Scott who is No. 68 in the country in singles. Having to face a strong opponent out of the gate will give the Hoosiers a true test of where they are, said head coach Ken Hydinger.\n"This will be a very good test for us," Hydinger said. "You don't jog onto this track, you better hit it running."\nThroughout the fall season, the Hoosiers were without one of their top players, junior Jakub Praibis, who was out due to injury and began the fall season ranked No. 70 in the country in singles. \nAfter not being able to play in the fall season, being able to get on the court is something Praibis is looking forward to.\n"I feel healthy, and I hope it stays that way," Praibis said. "It would be nice to play again."\nDespite having to sit out for the fall season, staying positive was important, Praibis said.\n"At first I was disappointed," Praibis said. "But I wasn't after a while because it was better that it happened in the fall rather than now."\nOne of the leaders for the Hoosiers this year, junior Ryan Recht, began the season ranked No. 93 in singles and finished the fall season strong by winning the second-round consolation bracket of Big Ten singles.\nRecht feels there is an advantage to getting to start the season at home.\n"It is a big advantage," Recht said. "If you can get off to a good start and start the season on a positive note with a lot of confidence, that can carry over into some later matches."\nThere is also more emphasis on team play in the regular season than in the fall as well, Recht said.\n"You get a chance to cheer everyone in the regular season since all the matches are at the same site," Recht said. "Teamwork becomes better in the main season because of that as well."\nFor IU to be successful against the Irish, three things will have to happen, Hydinger said.\n"Everybody on the team playing to their fullest abilities on a physical, mental and emotional level," Hydinger said. "That is what it is going to take for us to be successful against Notre Dame and this year."\n-- Contact staff writer Dan Click at daaclick@indiana.edu.
(11/14/03 4:37pm)
The fall season for the Hoosiers comes to a close this weekend as the Hoosiers will travel to Ann Arbor, Mich., to participate in the Big Ten Singles Championships Saturday through Monday at the Varsity Tennis Center on the campus of University of Michigan. \nThe tournament, which is divided up into two brackets, consists of 78 players. The main draw has a total of 64 players, while the 7-9 draw has only 14 players, in which two players received byes. The Hoosiers were able to place a total of seven players into the tournament, including six into the main draw.\nThe players competing in the main draw are freshman David Bubenicek; sophomores Neil Kenner and John Stone; and juniors Tom Bagnato, Ryan McCarthy and No. 93 Ryan Recht. Sophomore Dymtro Ishtuganov will be playing in the other bracket.\nThis will be a good opportunity for the Hoosiers to get a gauge on how they compare to other Big Ten schools, Recht said.\n"All Big Ten schools will be there, and most of our schedule is comprised of Big Ten schools, and everybody is going to be seeded in this tournament," Recht said. "So we will (know) where the guys are going to rank among the Big Ten and can stack yourself up against all them and see where you rank and what you need to improve on until the actual season starts."\nGetting the experience in the fall season has been helpful for McCarthy (4-3), especially since he's been able to go from the qualifying bracket and into the main draw.\n"The fall season gives you a good chance to work on your game and get in shape," McCarthy said. "So when the season comes around, you have every aspect of your game ready. too."\nBesides the experience that can be picked up from playing in the fall tournaments, other things can be learned from playing in the tournaments, IU coach Ken Hydinger said.\n"Confidence, getting a feel for winning is vital," Hydinger said. "By either adversity or good things happening to them, I think picking up motivation to have success or to have more success is a valuable tool from the fall season."\nDespite coming out to start the season off ranked in the top 100, Recht is currently 0-2 after participating in only the Icy Hot/ITA Men's All-American Championships and the ITA Midwest Regional Championships. He feels it is important to begin to show why he was ranked to start the season.\n"Coming from last year, I played (No.5) singles mostly and just the fact that I'm moving up and I'm ranked now is new territory for me," Recht said. "I want go out there and prove to everybody that I'm 93 in the country for a reason, and that it's just nice to be able to back that up and get a couple of wins."\nWith this tournament being strictly against Big Ten opponents, the Hoosiers will get a feel for where they stand in a league that appears to be strong at this point in the season.\n"There is going to be a good level of competition," Hydinger said. "So there won't be any easy matches."\n-- Contact staff writer Dan Click at daaclick@indiana.edu.
(10/23/03 6:39am)
After a weekend of mixed results from the Purdue Invitational, the Hoosiers will head to East Lansing, Mich., to participate in the ITA Midwest Regional Championship.\nThe tournament, which begins today, continues until Tuesday. In all there will be a total of 31 teams participating in the tournament throughout the Midwest. This will also include 10 of the 11 teams of the Big Ten, excluding Penn State. \nAll matches will be played at MSU indoor tennis facility and Michigan Athletic Club.\nPlay will begin with five Hoosiers competing in the qualifying singles round. Freshman David Bubenicek, sophomores John Stone and Neil Kenner, and juniors Tom Bagnato and Ryan McCarthy will all be competing. Kenner is 2-1 on the year in singles and already has a top 100 victory against 72nd-ranked Ravi Pathanjali at last weekend's tournament. Players can advance to the main draw by winning three matches and gaining one of eight possible spots into the main draw.\n"I'd love to qualify and do well in the main draw," Kenner said. "I try to shoot high and go out there and possibly win the tournament."\nThe lone player in the main draw for the Hoosiers is No. 93 junior Ryan Recht who will play against Michigan State's Andrew Formanczyk Saturday.\nThe Hoosiers will be up against tough competition this weekend at Michigan State as many of the Midwest's best will be playing this weekend, head coach Ken Hydinger said.\n"We hope to fight hard and be competitive from top to bottom this weekend," Hydinger said. "Almost every team is good in the Midwest. If we can play to our potential, hopefully we will get results we are happy with."\nBesides having six players in the singles competition the Hoosiers will have three doubles teams of Bagnao and Bubenicek, Stone and Recht and Kenner and sophomore Dmytro Ishtuganov competing as well. Improving on mistakes from this past weekend and better play overall are important, Ishtuganov said.\n"I'm sure I will play better this weekend," Ishtuganov said. "I have a better idea of what I need to work on and improve. I want to focus on good play in doubles because we have a good shot in doubles."\n-- Contact staff writer Dan Click at daaclick@indiana.edu
(10/17/03 6:56am)
While junior Ryana Recht was participatiing in last week's qualifying rounds of the Icy Hot American Championships, the rest of Hoosiers were at home waiting to hit the courts. This weekend will be their first chance at the Purdue Invitational in West Lafayette.\nOther teams participating in the tournament over the weekend besides IU and Purdue include Big Ten foe Northwestern along with Toledo and Western Michigan from the Mid-American Conference and Butler.\nThe tournament, which is in hidden dual format, consists of round-robin play which will allow all players at least three singles matches and three double matches as well.\nPlaying in the Purdue Invitational will allow the team play against other competition and to prepare for the other fall tournaments, IU coach Ken Hydinger said.\n"We got some big tournaments coming, with regional championships next week," Hydinger said. "So this gets guys some real matches under their belt and get them match tough, and get them ready for that tournament and the Big Ten Singles Championships at the end of the fall."\nComing into this tournament, junior Tom Bagnato, who finished last season with a 6-8 record in singles and a 0-1 record in doubles, has high expectations despite not playing a match since April.\n"I'm looking to do some damage and to play against other competition," Bagnato said. "This tournament will give me a barometer on where I am at so far, and let me know what I need to do to improve."\nGetting the opportunity to work on different facets of his game has sophomore John Stone expecting positive results out of this weekend, especially in doubles.\n"In doubles, I'm looking to win every match, because I am a better doubles player," Stone said. "I am also just hoping to play the best I can and get some good singles work in as well."\nAs one of four juniors on the team this year, Bagnato feels that his experience should play a big role in his success not only in the Purdue Invitational, but also for the rest of the season, as he has the potential to become one of the top singles players in the Big Ten.\n"Playing in singles competition, I can definitely play," Bagnato said. "I have seen a lot of good competition, and I feel I can become one of the top players in the Big Ten."\nHaving the opportunity to play against different competitors, outside the team members is one of things to look forward to in playing in the Purdue Invitational, Stone said.\n"It will be good to see different teams from different conferences playing different styles," Stone said. "The tournament can help give us a taste of what we might face in the upcoming season, especially with both Northwestern and Purdue, since both lost significant players from last year."\nThough all the lineups are not completely set, the singles lineup should look like this: No. 1 sophomore Neil Kenner, No. 2 freshman David Bubenicek, No. 3 Bagnato, No. 4 junior Ryan McCarthy, No. 5 Stone, No. 6 sophomore Dmytro Ishtuganov, and No. 7 freshman Krishne Tanna.\n"(Our) main goals are just to compete well, have the players play their game, and let the chips fall where they may," Hydinger said.\nThe Hoosiers will begin play at 9 a.m. Saturday against Toledo in doubles action and will start singles play against Western Michigan at 12:15 p.m. Play will continue through Sunday.
(10/07/03 5:30am)
After a successful summer that included finishing second in the ITA National Summer Championships, junior Ryan Recht is set to compete in the Icy Hot/ITA Men's All-American Tennis Championships in Chattanooga, Tenn., at the Champions Club. Recht is ranked 93rd in the country.\nThe national championship tournament, which is the first of three this year, has a total of 256 singles players and 128 doubles teams. Qualifying play starts today and will conclude with the championships on Oct. 12. Recht plays Steven Austin of Alabama.\nAlong with being able to compete in the tournament, Recht will put his national ranking on the line.\n"It is the first time I've been ranked," Recht said. "It is a real nice feeling to see yourself among other great college tennis players."\nSince he hasn't participated in this tournament before, associate head coach Matt Pledger said it will provide Recht an opportunity to gain confidence for the upcoming season.\n"We feel that Ryan has improved a lot over the summer and going into this tournament, he is going to be playing against the best players in the country," Pledger said. "But we think he is going to play extremely well and have a good tournament."\nBesides having a player nationally recognized, the team will gain from Recht playing the nation's top players, which should result in a better team ranking, Pledger said.\n"It will help Ryan with his ranking," Pledger said. "It also helps the team. The more players you have ranked, the higher the team ranking is going to be."\nRecht said he feels pressure to play up to the ranking, but just wants to play well and improve.\n"If I try real hard each match and each point, and don't let myself down, I can't expect too much more," Recht said.\n-- Contact staff writer Dan Click at daaclick@indiana.edu.
(09/05/03 6:23pm)
As the school year begins to get in the swing of things so too does the IU men's tennis team, using a summer's worth of preparation and hard work for the upcoming Intercollegiate Tennis Association qualifying matches.\nThese matches will take place in the fall will go a long way to determine how the Hoosiers will look when they begin team matches in the spring.\nAfter coming off a year in which the team finished with a record of 12-10, 1-9 in the Big Ten and a national ranking of 44 in the country, players from the men's tennis team continued to play in many tournaments in their home regions as part of their work on getting ready for the upcoming season, 19th year coach Ken Hydinger said.\n"Most of the guys go home for the summer," Hydinger said. "In tennis we want them to go play the best tournaments they can play."\nThis approach was used by many players including junior Ryan Recht and sophomore John Stone.\nRecht, a 6-foot-2-inch junior out of Fort Wayne, played in many tournaments throughout the summer including the ITA National Summer Championships which were held in Bloomington in August. Recht finished second in singles where he fell in finals to Chris Martin out of Illinois. Even though he fell in the finals, the experience picked up will be beneficial for the upcoming season, Recht said.\n"Playing in the tournaments should be helpful for me in the upcoming season," Recht said. "I got a chance to get some practice against other top players at the tournament, and it also gives me a chance to feel out opponents for the season."\nStone, out of Greenwood, Ind., also finished well in the ITA National Summer Championships, advancing to the semi-finals of doubles competition before bowing out. His partner in the tournament was Recht, and the opportunity to continue on something that had started late last season was important to getting ready for the season.\n"The tournament was huge in getting ready for the upcoming season," Stone said. "We ended the season and beat Illinois." \nBesides playing in tournaments, many members of the team also participated in off-season workouts which included working on physical conditioning through on-court activity, running, and weight training.\nEven though the Hoosiers won't begin competing until October, getting playing time for everyone is important as the Hoosiers welcome five new faces to the team to go along with the four players returning from last year's squad.\n"For some of the new guys our expectations are to break them in and learn what collegiate tennis is about, and to see the level of play," Hydinger said. "We are hoping to get everyone a lot of matches this fall."\nFor the Hoosiers, all of the work in the summer is for the goal of reaching the NCAA tournament, which they haven't done since 2001.\n"All of our work is on the belief that we will be there," Hydinger said. "And we are working toward that."\n-- Contact staff writer Dan Click at daaclick@indiana.edu
(05/29/03 1:10am)
This weekend's third annual Nike Memorial Day Classic provided a few surprises for those in attendance, including a commitment by Robert Vaden, a 6-foot-6-inch guard out of Pike High School in Indianapolis, to play for the Hoosiers in 2004.\nThe MDC, which is an annual AAU tournament that brings some of the top high school prospects from around the nation to Bloomington, started off in pool play for all teams. The top two teams in each pool advanced to the round of 16. \nThere were many surprises during pool play, including the Alabama Lasers knocking off the New York Gauchos, one of the top traveling teams in the country. The Lasers were led by 6-foot-9-inch power forward D.J. White and were able to prevail over the Gauchos, 70-64. White had 11 points, eight rebounds and seven blocks to pace the Lasers. \nThe Lasers were able to go through Pool B undefeated and move on to the round of 16. \n"I play with high energy," White said. "Try and get the win and do what I had to do".\nEven though the Lasers bowed out in the first round of the final 16, losing to Athletes First 43-45, that didn't keep the fans away from the Lasers' games. Their games drew large crowds in part because of White and his reported interest in IU. \n"North Carolina, Indiana, Florida and Mississippi State," White said, referring to universities in which he's currently interested. \nWhite said he's known men's basketball coach Mike Davis since he was young, and he said he feels will be a factor in deciding what college he'll attend.\nBesides the excitement of having watched White, another player of Indiana flavor was able to impress many and later shock them.\nVaden helped lead the Indiana Red team to an impressive win over Howard Pulley White 53-48. Later, he scored 25 points in a third place game against the Kentucky Hoopstars Elite, in which he played the entire game.\nVaden then shocked many Sunday night by giving a verbal commitment to play for the Hoosiers in 2004. Vaden is regarded as one of the top prospects in the nation by many recruiting services. Last season, Vaden averaged 13.5 points, six rebounds and almost three assists for the 4-A champion Red Devils. \nFor the IU-Purdue rivalry, this might add fuel to an already hot fire, as Vaden had originally committed to the Boilermakers early in his high school career but recently opened the commitment up to other schools. \nBesides the play of White and Vaden, the biggest surprise seemed to be the unlikely 17-under champion. The Martin Brothers Select out of Iowa came into the tournament without the flashy players many teams possess but were able to go through the tournament undefeated and won the championship over the Illinois Warriors, 73-61. The Martin Brothers were able to pull away from the Warriors after halftime by the play of the most valuable player of the tournament, Trent Meachum.\nThe 16-under championship was just as competitive as the 17-under, as the Indiana Red battled the Illinois Warriors. The Red, led by 6-foot-9-inch forward Josh McRoberts pushed the Warriors to the edge before falling in overtime, 62-65. The 15-under division was won by The Family.\nThe tournament went beyond expectations that were going in and the competition was better than anticipated as well, said Criss Beyers, director and organizer of the MDC.\n"Many recruiting services were impressed by the facilities and level of competition," he said.
(05/22/03 1:41am)
While many people will be taking a break from work over the Memorial Day weekend, some of the top basketball stars in the country will be playing in the third annual Memorial Day Classic tournament. The games for the MDC will take place at three locations during the weekend: the Bloomington SportsPlex, Assembly Hall and Bloomington High School South.\nThe tournament, which is sponsored by Nike, will have many of the top teams in the country competing in three different age groups. The groups are divided into 17-and-under, 16-and-under and 15-and-under. The tournament will have a combined 80 teams, with 32 teams in the 17-and-under division and 24 teams in the 16- and 15-and-under divisions. \n"The MDC will have many of the top Nike traveling teams in the country playing here over the weekend," said Criss Beyers, director and organizer of the MDC. "The MDC will have 20 to 25 of the top 100 high school players in the country."\nThe Bloomington Visitors and Convention Bureau plays a big part in keeping the tournament in Bloomington, as well as promoting it. The BVCB aids the MDC by providing events for players and coaches during the weekend and also helps to find sponsors for the tournament. Along with bringing in some of the top high school players in the country, the MDC draws many visitors to Bloomington. Early attendance estimates stand at around 1,000 spectators.\n"There are around 1,800 total athletes, families and friends that come into Bloomington for the tournament," Valerie Pena, executive director of the Convention and Visitors Bureau. "Around $780,000 worth of new money is put into the Bloomington economy because of the tournament."\nEven though the MDC has been around for only three years, the tournament has been kind to the IU men's basketball team. The tournament has featured former player Jared Jeffries and two current Hoosier sophomores, Bracey Wright and Sean Kline.\nFor many teams and players, the advantage of playing in a tournament like the MDC is not only to get better as a player, but also to get noticed in hopes of landing a college scholarship. For the players, there is the added plus of getting the opportunity to play in Assembly Hall. Like many teams that participate in the tournament this year, it won't be the first for the Indiana Red, a 17-and-under team that participates in close to 50 to 60 games a summer.\n"The kids look forward to playing in Assembly Hall," Mark Adams, head coach of the 17-and-under Indiana Red Team. "It means a lot to play at IU, because many of the players are fans, but it also gives them a chance to play in front of family and friends."\nThe MDC will get underway Saturday at 8 a.m. at all three locations and will conclude with the 17-and-under final Monday at noon.