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(09/27/07 4:28am)
First-year IU coach Randy Bloemendaal is planning on hanging up banners in the IU Tennis Center – those honoring past achievements and those of his own. \nHaving already improved the locker room, Bloemendaal’s next plan to generate “points of pride” is through facility enhancements. Banners commemorating past accomplishments, such as IU’s five Big Ten championships and four NCAA team tournament appearances are next on the list.\nWith official practices just underway and the first tournaments of the season taking place this weekend, Bloemendaal is beginning his quest to raise the level of IU tennis and to hang his own team’s successes on the walls. \n“I think he’s great so far,” junior Peter Antons said. “He seems really determined and focused on being successful and taking our program to the next level where it should be.”\nOn Friday Antons and freshmen Jai Yoon and Santiago Gruter will travel with assistant coach Scott Linn to Notre Dame for the three-day Tom Fallon Invitational. Each player is expected to play at least seven matches and will gain valuable match experience against opponents from schools such as Iowa, Purdue, Louisville, Ball State and Western Michigan. \nCoach Bloemendaal, meanwhile, will be traveling with seniors Thomas Richter and Dara McLoughlin and freshman Phillip Eilers to Tulsa, Okla., for the Polo Ralph Lauren Men’s All-American Championships, which brings together virtually all of the top college players in the nation. \n“It’s a good opportunity for the guys, but the goals aren’t just to go there and see,” Bloemendaal said. “We want to go there and qualify for these events ... and to get this program off to a good start.”\nLast year’s field included Georgia’s John Isner, who is currently ranked No. 144 in the world and took Roger Federer to four sets in last month’s U.S. Open. This year’s draw includes the likes of Virginia’s Somdev Devvarman, the top-ranked NCAA player and a semifinalist at last year’s tournament, as well as the defending champion and No. 3 player in the country Tulsa’s Arnau Brugues.\n“I’m really excited to get a chance to play (against strong national competition),” McLoughlin said. “I’ve wanted to in the past and this year coach is giving us the opportunity to play (in this event).”\nMcLoughlin and Eilers will participate in the 128-plus player prequalifier, which begins on Saturday. McLoughlin and Eilers will have to win four matches to join Richter in the qualifier, which then requires another four wins to advance into the 64-player main draw, which begins Oct. 4. \nDue to his No. 51 preseason ranking, Richter is one of the top alternates for the Main Draw and will automatically get in should three or more players pull out of the tournament in the next week. \nWhile Bloemendaal said his players are where he thought they would be, and in some areas ahead of schedule, in terms of player progression he said the tournaments will tell him where the players really stand.\n“One of the reasons you play these tournaments is it puts a mirror in front of your face and you get a better idea of where you’re at and where you need to go,” Bloemendaal said. “I’ll have a better understanding next week after the tournaments of where we’re really at.”
(09/20/07 4:00am)
"Friends with benefits" are experimenting with their boundaries, and it's making things hard.\nExperts say no-strings-attached relationships are easier to obtain than committed ones, but these "friends with benefits" may have trouble with coupledom in the future. Counseling and Psychological Services Director Nancy Stockton said experts worry that people who partake in these quasi-relationships will find a committed relationship extremely difficult.\n"It can delay the process of learning about real intimate relationships," she said.\nDebby Herbenick, IU sex researcher and educator, said the idea of "friends with benefits" has been an openly discussed subject for the last five to 10 years. She said the concept has probably been around long before now in some form or another, even if the "benefits" have not always included intercourse.\n"It could be that 50 or 100 years ago, instead of oral sex or intercourse, people were kissing their friends," Herbenick said. "This generation's willingness to go farther sexually before marriage leads to more sexual activity. It's not surprising that people are choosing to explore with their friends -- people who they are comfortable with and trust."\nJunior Elizabeth Meyer said she has numerous friends who have been involved in non-committed sexual relationships and she has never considered it to be a big deal.\n"People are busy," she said. "Friends with benefits is fun but doesn't take a lot of work."\nA few IU students shared stories about their own "friends with benefits" experiences, but few were willing to attach their names to their tales. Many claimed that when the sexual relationship ends, the friendship has a tendency to fall apart as well. In most cases the arrangement ended with one or both parties unhappy, students said.\n"The thing I see is that people get possessive, and at least one person usually has a hard time not acting like a significant other," Meyer said. "You can try all you want to, but feelings always end up getting involved." \nMeyer said the initial appeal of "friends with benefits" is the absence of boundaries or rules, but people tend to forget that after a while.\nHerbenick said there is no evidence to verify which sex is more likely to get hurt in these set-ups, but the parties involved should keep an eye on their own feelings and make sure communication is very clear.\n"On an individual level people need to decide if it is right for them," Herbenick said. "Within these relationships, people need to be clear and open with one another. Like with any relationship, you need to check in with yourself to make sure it still feels good to you"
(09/05/07 3:10am)
For a man whose previous head-coaching experience came at tiny Charleston Southern University and the even tinier Lees-McRae College in Banner Elk, N.C., new IU head men’s tennis coach Randy Bloemendaal is thinking big.\n“I envision having Indiana attracting the best players,” he said. “I envision winning the national championship.”\nBloemendaal was promoted to head coach May 29, after spending two years as an assistant under Ken Hydinger. Since taking the reigns of the program, he’s been working 15-hour days and making recruiting trips to Indianapolis, North Carolina, Florida, Michigan and Montreal.\nHe has seen more of his office than his wife and sons Blake and Evan, and he is racking up a hefty phone bill. In fact, in his first two weeks as head coach, Bloemendaal said he spent 4,500 minutes on his cell phone. \nWhile the sight of a book called “Coaching Tennis” lying among scattered papers on his office floor might suggest inexperience and disorganization, the coach who won eight conference titles at Lees-McRae – five with the men’s team and three with the women’s team – already has a national reputation. \nChuck Kriese, Clemson University head coach and author of the aforementioned book, called Bloemendaal “one of the finest young coaches in the country” in an e-mail interview. \n“Indiana University could not have hired a better person for the job as men’s tennis coach there,” Kriese said. “He has won wherever he has coached, and I surely believe that Indiana University tennis will soon be in the top tier of all collegiate programs as well.”\nBeginning with his 1995 return to Lees-McRae, his alma mater, Bloemendaal said all his past coaching experience was invaluable and it has helped him reach the position he holds today.\n“As a coach, you work to get yourself in a situation where you can compete for Big Ten championships and national championships,” he said. “This institution is one (where) you can do that at.”\nThe Hoosiers last won a Big Ten title in 1964, so becoming a contender among the likes of powerhouses Illinois and Ohio State is easier said \nthan done.\n“We’re going to have to change the environment,” Bloemendaal said. “That’s an obstacle in front of us, and that’s something we’re going to take on day by day, but I have a plan of how we’re going to attack that.”\nBloemendaal said the team will aim to work harder than anyone in the Big Ten, from numerous individual workouts to rigorous, sometimes “mentally challenging” morning conditioning. But there is one thing Bloemendaal believes will really better the team – and it is not directly tennis or fitness-related. \nWhile tennis is an individual sport and most players’ junior careers were almost solely concentrated on their own games, Bloemendaal is looking to bring the players together on and off the court.\n“I want to create a team. I don’t want everyone for himself,” Bloemendaal said. “I think that’s something that will lead to winning national championships.”\nIf Bloemendaal wants the team and individuals to consistently be national title contenders, he is on the right track with a deep and “potentially strong” lineup. \n“I think the x-factor is how to bring these guys as a group, as a team,” \nBloemendaal said.\nSenior Dara McLoughlin said he was “really excited” about Bloemendaal’s promotion to coach. \nMcLoughlin and fellow senior Thomas Richter are among the top returning players on this year’s squad. In addition to playing together at No. 1 doubles last season, Richter finished the year at No. 1 singles and McLoughlin at No. 3 singles. \nSophomores Lachlan Ferguson, a former No. 1 singles and doubles junior player from Australia, and Phillip Eilers, a former Top 10 junior player in Germany, also will play key roles for the Hoosiers. \n“They’re going to be impact players, singles and doubles,” Bloemendaal said. “They’re the \ncomplete package.”\nOther returning players include junior Peter Antons and senior Mike McCarthy, who is still recovering from shoulder surgery.\nEl Salvadorian Santiago Gruter, Jai Yoon from New York and Ben Zuckerberg from Woodbridge, Conn., are new to the team. Currently not on the roster, but also likely to join the team is Eric Lim, a transfer from Mississippi State, Bloemendaal said.\nAlthough the lineup is uncertain for the spring duel-match season, Bloemendaal and new assistant Scott Linn know who the top four or five players are. But there will be some heavy competition at the bottom of the lineup to grab the last one or \ntwo positions.\nWhile Bloemendaal has set the standards high, the players realize the benefits that will come with his tough practice schedule. \n“I think he’s going to push us really hard,” Richter said. “I think that will help us to get better.”\nRichter ended last season at No. 88 in the Fila Collegiate Tennis Rankings, and the fall tournament schedule will be a good test and a chance for him and his teammates to boost their rankings. \nNotre Dame will host the Tom Fallon Invitational Sept. 28-30. The All-American Pre-Qualifier in Tulsa, Okla., begins Sept. 29, with the Qualifier and Main Draw \nfollowing after. \nIn October, Louisville is hosting a three-day tournament, while the ITA Midwest Regional will take place October 18-22 at Minnesota. The Hoosiers will cap off their fall slate with the Big Ten Singles Championships in November in Ann Arbor, Mich. \nAs the season approaches, Bloemendaal will continue to run up his cell phone bill and be out on the recruiting trail representing the cream and crimson. Although 15-hour days can be draining and stressful, it is all part of the first-year coach’s plan to bring championship tennis to Bloomington.
(08/30/07 4:00am)
Make your friends think they've stepped into a real-life "Hallowee"
(07/26/07 4:00am)
The line:\n"I guess you might say he's barking up the wrong Bush." \nThe Setup\nHomer after Santa's Little Helper runs off with George Bush. He then thinks to himself, "There it is, Homer. The cleverest thing you'll ever say and nobody heard it." Out loud: "D'oh"
(05/10/07 4:00am)
When making garbage like "Domino," it's a shame to think that director Tony Scott is the brother of Ridley Scott, whose career has been far greater and more successful. Yet, when Tony is making films such as "True Romance" or "Man on Fire," he's worth a damn. "Déjà vu" certainly is a reminder of the latter. Sure, the trailer looked bizarre, but this is a movie with Denzel Washington produced by Jerry Bruckheimer -- it has to be good. \nWhen a boat explodes in New Orleans, an ATF agent (Washington) is called to search for clues around the crime scene. He's so good that a crew of FBI techno-geeks (led by Val Kilmer) decides to show Washington its top secret machinery: a computer system that recreates events before they happen via satellites in space that cover the entire globe. Washington was just as confused as I was, but it all starts to make sense once the story really gets moving.\nThe guys spend most of their time in front of a dozen computer monitors, we learn that a woman's murder is tied to this terrorist plot, and Washington makes it his goal to hunt down the murderer. He even goes so far as to convince the FBI to let him use its other gadget: a time machine. \nIt's science-fiction, it's action, hell, it's just plain fun with a story that feels quite original. What aren't original though are the DVD supplements. You aren't given much -- a handful of deleted/extended scenes and a making-of featurette that runs with the film. Essentially a box pops up on your screen as you watch the flick, you click on it and you "go back in time" to the production footage. This stuff has been done before and I'd much rather have a good commentary track from the likes of Scott and Bruckheimer. \nI'm not sure if "Déjà vu" will hold up in subsequent viewings, but it's at least worth a rental. Besides, it's good to see a Tony Scott movie that doesn't make you feel like you need to drop some acid to even attempt to enjoy it.
(04/30/07 4:00am)
In its last meeting with Michigan, the IU men’s tennis team was unable to muster a single set and lost 7-0.\n On Friday, just six days later, the No. 20 Wolverines eliminated the No. 67 Hoosiers from the Big Ten championships. \n“I give our guys a lot of credit,” IU coach Ken Hydinger said. “This team defeated us pretty good a week ago on their home court, but our guys came ready to play today. We raised the level of our game, the guys came together as a team and we played with focus and emotion.\nThe Wolverines earned the doubles point with wins at No. 2 and No. 3, 8-3 and 8-5. IU juniors Dara McLoughlin and Thomas Richter were leading Michigan’s eighth-ranked doubles team 7-6 and demonstrated the kind of fight that the Hoosiers were going to put up. \nIU showed improvement on each court, starting with sophomore Peter Antons who was the first one off the court, losing 6-3, 6-4 at No. 5, after losing to the same opponent 6-0, 6-2 the previous weekend.\nRichter tested then-No. 45 Brian Hung last time around before losing 6-4, 7-5 at the top position. This time, however, Richter knocked off the 48th-ranked Hung, 6-4, 6-4. \nMichigan extended the lead to 3-1 with a win at No. 4 against IU senior Arnaud Roussel, 6-3, 6-4. The match was then clinched 4-1, with a win at No. 2, but it took three sets for No. 49 Matko Maravic to defeat IU’s David Bubenicek, winning 4-6, 6-2, 6-4.\nWhen play was stopped, McLoughlin held a 3-6, 7-5, 3-1 over Andrew Mazlin at No. 3, while sophomore Mak Kendall was about to enter a third set at No. 6, having won the first 7-5 but dropping the second 6-4. IU finished the year 15-12 and will most likely be excluded from the NCAA tournament’s field of 64.\nIn other Big Ten tournament action, the second-seeded Wolverines advanced to the semifinals but were defeated 4-1 by third-seeded and ninth-ranked Illinois. In the finals, top seed and third-ranked Ohio State defeated the Fighting Illini 4-1 to win its second consecutive Big Ten championship.
(04/27/07 4:00am)
The IU men’s tennis team has gone 10-0 this year in matches in which they won the doubles point. When entering singles play down 1-0, however, the Hoosiers are just 4-10.\nIn the first round of the Big Ten Championships at Purdue’s Schwartz Tennis Center on Thursday, Coach Ken Hydinger's 7th-seeded Hoosiers lost the doubles point for the 8th consecutive match, and dug themselves into a 1-0 hole versus 10-seed Iowa.\nJuniors Thomas Richter and Dara McLoughlin lost 8-5 at No. 1, and despite a 5-2 lead, seniors Paul Boskovich and Arnaud Roussel were defeated as well, 9-7. The No. 3 doubles team of sophomores Peter Antons and Mak Kendall was ahead 6-5 when doubles play was stopped.\nBehind 1-0, IU needed four singles wins to advance to face second-seeded Michigan in the second round, but the Hoosiers got down 2-0 after Richter was defeated by Bart van Monsjou at No. 1, 6-2, 6-0.\nMcLoughlin got IU on the board with a 7-5, 6-4 win at No. 3, but Iowa went ahead with a 6-4, 6-2 win over at No. 5. Despite starting his match down 2-0, Kendall came through with a 6-3, 6-2 victory at No. 6 to bring the match to 2-3.\nNeeding the final two matches, the Hoosiers’ fate lay with their seniors, Bubenicek and Roussel. Bubenicek was the first of the two off the court, as his 6-3, 6-4 win tied the match at three. Roussel followed suit with a 6-3, 6-2 win, extending his career as a Hoosier, and propelling IU into the second round.\n“We knew Iowa was going to come at us hard,” Hydinger said. “We were the hunted today. We didn’t quite close out the doubles, but we switched lineups at the beginning of the week and our guys responded well. We did a good job keeping our composure and working out of it after we got down.”\nThe Hoosiers face 20th-ranked Michigan today at 2 p.m., six days after falling to the Wolverines 7-0. The winner will face either 3rd-seeded Illinois or 11th-seeded Purdue, who used their home court advantage to upset 6-seed Minnesota. In other Thursday action, 8th-seeded Northwestern took down 9th-seeded Michigan State, and will play top-seeded Ohio State.
(04/26/07 4:00am)
Thirty-one days ago, the Iowa men’s tennis team left Bloomington with a disappointing 6-1 loss to IU. At 3 p.m. today, the Hawkeyes (8-12, 1-9 Big Ten) have another shot at the No. 67 Hoosiers (14-11, 4-6 Big Ten) in the first round of the Big Ten Championships in West Lafayette. \n“You know, there’s an old saying, ‘First time you win the match, second time you’ve got to beat the man,’” said IU coach Ken Hydinger. “They were upset at losing to us down here and I know they’re going to come at us hard.”\nEnding the regular season with back-to-back losses, IU fell into a seventh-place tie with Northwestern. Having beaten the Wildcats earlier in the month, the Hoosiers earned the 7-seed in the conference tournament, with the winner of this 7-10 matchup advancing to play 2-seed Michigan Friday afternoon. \n“I think we can do really well against (Iowa),” said sophomore Peter Antons. “We’ve been playing a lot better, fighting a lot harder. We’ve just got to really concentrate and get the first matches – those doubles points are really important.”\nLast time they played, the Hawkeyes’ only singles victory came at No. 5 singles versus Antons, but they had the lead at No. 1. With a Hoosier victory secured, Iowa’s top player, Bart van Monsjou, retired from his match with IU junior Thomas Richter, despite holding a 6-3, 1-6, 3-2 lead. \nAlthough Richter was able to put the match in his win column, he knows that he might not be as fortunate this time around, should van Monsjou get ahead. Nevertheless, Richter is feeling more confident with his tennis at this point in the season.\n“I try to play more aggressive,” he said. “I’ve changed my game a little bit since that (match); so I hope I can apply my new game to the match, and just play more aggressive (and) be more consistent with shots.”\nIU is 3-1 all-time versus Iowa in the Big Ten tournament, with their most recent win coming at the 2004 tournament hosted by Michigan State. The Hoosiers have not won a Big Ten tournament since their 4-0 victory over Iowa, but IU had first round byes in each of the past two seasons. \nNo. 3-ranked and top-seeded Ohio State (24-1, 10-0 Big Ten) is the favorite to take the Big Ten title. This past weekend they knocked off Michigan, 6-1, after sweeping the other nine conference foes, 7-0. The Buckeyes took first place last year, ending a nine-year run by Illinois, this year’s 3-seed.\n“Big Ten tournament is always just a great tournament,” Hydinger said. “Throw out the balls; let’s go.”
(04/23/07 4:00am)
The road was unkind to the IU men’s tennis team this weekend, who lost 7-0 to No. 17 Michigan and 4-3 to No. 41 Penn State. The losses marked the end of the regular season for the Hoosiers (14-11, 4-6), who finished the year 3-8 away from home and 1-4 in Big Ten road matches.\n“It was a typical Big Ten weekend; every match is going to be a battle,” IU coach Ken Hydinger said. “We fought hard in a tough environment and didn’t quite get the job done.”\nOn Saturday, IU’s 7-0 loss marked the third time this year that it was swept, losing all three doubles pro sets and all six singles matches on the day. \n“I give Michigan a lot of credit, they’re an overpowering team and it was hard for us to get control,” Hydinger said. “Our guys fought hard but we had trouble getting under it.”\nThe No. 4 ranked doubles tandem of Brian Hung and Matko Maravic took down IU juniors Thomas Richter and Dara McLoughlin at No. 1 doubles, 8-2. Next off the court, No. 45 Ryan Heller and Andrew Mezlin defeated senior David Bubenicek and sophomore Mak Kendall, 8-3 at No. 2, while George Navas and Mike Sroczynski followed suit at No. 3 by beating senior Arnaud Roussel and sophomore Peter Antons, 8-3. \nSingles wins at No. 4, 5 and 6, gave Michigan a 4-0 lead and the match. After dropping the first set 6-3, McLoughlin got ahead 4-1 at No. 3 against Heller, but he could not hold on, losing 6-3, 7-6 (2). \nAt No. 2, Bubenicek also played well in the second set, but had to retire from the match due to injury, losing 6-3, 2-3 to No. 44 Maravic. Richter showed another strong effort at No. 1, but came up short vs. No. 45 Hung, 6-4, 7-5.\nAgainst the Nittany Lions, losing the doubles point hurt the Hoosiers. After dropping the match at No. 2 doubles, IU fell in a tough 9-7 loss at No. 3. Meanwhile at No. 1, Richter and McLoughlin managed to upset the No. 51 pairing of Ryan Berger and Michael James, 8-6.\n“Peter and Arnaud fought hard, we were hoping to get the third doubles,” Hydinger said.\nIn singles, Penn State took a 3-0 advantage with wins against Kendall at No. 6 and McLoughlin at No. 3. In his last career regular season match, Roussel was victorious 6-3, 6-3 at No. 4, but the Nittany Lions sealed the match with a win against Antons at No. 5. \nWith the match decided, the top two Hoosiers players finished their regular season out on a good note. Richter upset No. 92 James 6-4, 7-5, while Bubenicek bounced back for a win in the final regular season match of his career, 7-6 (7), 2-6, 10-7. Combining his fall-tournament matches with this spring dual season, Bubenicek finished with a team-high 26 wins. \nIU finished tied for seventh place in the league \nwith Northwestern and will play either Michigan State, Iowa or \nPurdue on Thursday at the Big Ten championships in West Lafayette.
(04/20/07 4:00am)
With its NCAA tournament status uncertain, there is only one formula for the No. 64 IU men’s tennis team: win.\nThe team’s ranking might turn out to be too low to earn a spot in the 64-team field. Another signature win or two is more likely to secure the Hoosiers’ tournament placing.\nVictories against No. 58 Furman, No. 61 Northwestern, No. 74 Michigan State and former No. 65 Iowa might not be enough. \nAs the regular season ends this weekend, IU does have a couple opportunities to earn big wins, with road matches against No. 17 Michigan (17-4, 7-1) and No. 41 Penn State (17-5, 5-3). \n“We have (a) pretty good chance I think,” senior David Bubenicek said. “If we put it all together, I think we can definitely beat them, even though their ranking(s) (are) pretty good.”\nOver the years, the Wolverines have dominated the Hoosiers, taking 48 of 61 matches, including the last three. And this year’s Michigan squad has the tools to pick up another win. Michigan is led by Matko Maravic and Brian Hung, top 50 singles players who form the nation’s No. 4 doubles tandem. \n“It’s definitely a match,” IU coach Ken Hydinger said. “If we win that match, that really does something for us getting into the NCAA. They’re a good team, obviously. They’re a tough team from top to bottom.”\nPenn State, meanwhile, is also dangerous, despite a two-match skid. No. 92 Michael James leads the team in singles and at doubles with Ryan Berger (No. 51). \nDespite how the matches appear on paper, the Hoosiers (14-9, 4-4) do have a legitimate shot both Saturday and Sunday. Echoing what he said earlier the season, Hydinger said no matches are guaranteed in the Big Ten.\n“It’s the Big Ten. It’s going to be a war,” Hydinger said. “We beat Michigan State. Michigan State beat Penn State. Penn State beat Michigan. I mean, if you’re not ready to play, anybody can beat anybody on any day. It’s like that movie ‘Any Given Sunday.’”\nBubenicek and fellow senior Arnaud Roussel will be playing the final regular-season matches of their careers this weekend. Bubenicek is 15-8 on the season, while Roussel is 16-5. They will be playing No. 2 and No. 4, while juniors Thomas Richter and Dara McLoughlin will be at No. 1 and No. 3, and sophomores Peter Antons and Mak Kendall will likely round things out at No. 5 and No. 6. Still nursing his shoulder, junior Mike McCarthy said he does not expect to play, having already missed 11 straight matches.\n“It’s not fun sitting out, not being able to do anything,” McCarthy said. “When you’re used to playing, that’s kind of what happens.”\nEven without McCarthy, who is 9-3 on the year in singles, the Hoosiers have posted a solid 4-4 conference record, which has them tied with Minnesota in fifth place. With several teams sitting clumped in the middle of the pack, this weekend’s matches are not only important for NCAA purposes, but also for the Big Ten.\n“It’s important where we finish in the Big Ten,” Hydinger said. “We’re playing for Big Ten positions.”
(04/16/07 4:00am)
Facing ninth-ranked Illinois this weekend, the IU men’s tennis team fell 5-2 on Saturday at the IU Tennis Center.\nThe Fighting Illini got ahead 1-0 by sweeping the doubles, led by defending NCAA champions Kevin Anderson and Ryan Rowe at No. 1, who defeated juniors Dara McLoughlin and Thomas Richter 8-5.\nIllinois also took the first three singles matches to clinch the match. While senior Arnaud Roussel and sophomore Peter Antons fell quickly at Nos. 4 and No. 5 respectively, senior David Bubenicek gave Rowe – the nation’s No. 15-ranked player – a good run at No. 2 before losing 7-5, 6-4. \nJust as Bubenicek and Rowe approached the net to shake hands, McLoughlin got the Hoosiers on the board at No. 3, finishing off the former No. 1 junior player in the state of Indiana, Ruben Gonzales. McLoughlin’s 6-1, 7-5 win avenged last year’s 6-0, 6-4 loss to the Terre Haute native. \n“Once I broke him at the start, I got the momentum and I just kept rolling,” McLoughlin said. “I got a little tight when it came down to crunch time, (but) I think I finished it out well.” \nIn the match of the day, Richter faced the fifth-ranked Anderson. The 6-foot-7 man pounded aces and was difficult to break. But Richter fought hard and sent the match into a third set before an early service break put him behind for good, ultimately falling 6-4, 4-6, 6-2.\n“It was a tough match,” Richter said. “I’m disappointed now, but it’s all right. He’s number five in the country, so it’s not a bad result. I like to play those kind of guys. They help me really get my game better because they hit stronger shots and bigger serves,, and that’s going to bring me forward.”\nClosing out the day, sophomore Mak Kendall earned the second IU victory, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4, at No. 6.\nOn Sunday, IU improved to 14-9, defeating rival Purdue 6-1. The Hoosiers’ fourth Big Ten victory also capped off a successful 11-3 home campaign this year.\nIU was swept in doubles, but the Boilermakers were unable to muster a single set in all six singles matches.\n“It was senior day for Arnaud and David,” IU coach Ken Hydinger said. “Arnaud played some of the best doubles I have seen all year and jumped out early in singles. David came out, controlled the level and set the pace like he usually does. It was a good day for us.”\nBubenicek posted a 12-2 singles record at home this season, while Roussel finished 12-1.
(04/13/07 4:00am)
The fun and games are over for the No. 66 IU men’s tennis team. \nComing off an exciting, come-from-behind win at then-No. 57 Northwestern, the Hoosiers (13-8, 3-3) face a pair of tough matches this weekend at home against No. 9 Illinois (13-6, 5-1) and rival Purdue (8-9, 1-5).\nIllinois is one of the most storied programs in recent years, winning every Big Ten title from 1997-2005, setting an NCAA-record 64-match winning streak and winning the 2003 NCAA championship. \nThose Illini teams were led by current Association of Tennis Professionals Tour players Amer Delic, Rajeev Ram and Brian Wilson. \n“It’s a good program,” IU coach Ken Hydinger said. “I believe the last time we played them here we lost to them 4-3, two years ago. It’s a great opportunity for us.”\nAlthough the Hoosiers lead the all-time series against Illinois, the Fighting Illini have taken the last 12 matches, winning by combined match scores of 65-14.\nIllinois is led by two highly ranked juniors: No. 5 Kevin Anderson and No. 15 Ryan Rowe. Anderson and Rowe are the defending NCAA doubles champions and are currently No. 10 in the nation. \n“I’m excited for that (match),” IU junior and No. 1 doubles player Thomas Richter said. “Hopefully we do well, and if we beat them, that would awesome.”\nRichter, recently named the Big Ten men’s tennis athlete of the week for two singles and doubles wins each this past weekend, leads the Hoosiers at No. 1 singles. Senior David Bubenicek is at No. 2. \nBubenicek, who is coming off back-to-back wins against ranked opponents, lost a tough three-set match last year at No. 2 versus Illinois, but said he is treating this match no differently than any others.\n “Well I want to win every single match, so I want to win this one as well,” Bubenicek said.\nOn Sunday, the Hoosiers are set to battle the Purdue Boilermakers in their last home match of the year. Even though this is not basketball or football, the rivalry still stands.\n“It’s Purdue and Indiana, right?” Hydinger asked. “It’s a really significant rival.”\nThe Boilermakers began the year 7-0, but have lost nine of their last 10 matches and are the only Big Ten school that has not held a national ranking for at least one week this season. \nIU holds the series lead at 49-26-1, but Purdue has dominated as of late, winning seven of the last eight, including a 5-2 victory last year.
(04/06/07 4:00am)
March is over and so is basketball season, but it is never too late to talk about bubble teams. \nHoping to make the 64-team NCAA Tournament in May, the No. 71 IU men’s tennis squad (12-7) is on the outside looking in. But the Hoosiers could greatly improve their resume this weekend if they beat both No. 45 Wisconsin (9-8) and No. 57 Northwestern (7-10). \n“I think if we do that we’d be making some real steps to getting into the NCAA (tournament),” IU coach Ken Hydinger said. “So beating these guys on the road would be huge.”\nThe Hoosiers are 1-6 against ranked opponents, with their lone win coming against Furman, currently ranked No. 65 in the Fila Collegiate Tennis rankings. One of those six losses came at the hands of DePaul, a team no longer among the top 75 teams in the nation.\nIU will head north for an afternoon affair vs. Wisconsin on Saturday, looking for its fifth straight win against the Badgers and eighth straight in Madison, Wisc. \nLed by No. 111 Jeremy Sonkin and the No. 37 doubles team of Nolan Polley and Moritz Baumann, Hydinger said Wisconsin has “big hitters” throughout its lineup. He said a Badger home-court advantage might be a factor, too. \n“The weather is supposed to be bad up there,” Hydinger said. “They’re particularly effective on their indoor courts, which are really suited to their game.”\nNorthwestern, IU’s Sunday opponent, is also led by a ranked player in No. 107 Christian Tempke. While Hydinger said Northwestern also has a tough lineup, it’s not as powerful as Wisconsin’s. \n“I’m not saying they play any worse, but I’m saying they’ve got a lot of guys (who are) a little more all-court players,” Hydinger said.\nThe Hoosiers would love to get a pair of victories this weekend, sitting just ahead of Minnesota, Northwestern and Wisconsin in the Big Ten standings.\n“It’s going to require everyone to play their best, and hopefully if we all play well, we should win (the matches),” sophomore Mak Kendall said.\nJunior Dara McLoughlin will play a key role in the matches as one of the top players on the team and the hottest player of late, winning five straight singles matches. McLoughlin, said he is very relaxed and confident on the court, so he is optimistic about the team’s matches this weekend.\n“I think they’re really good opportunities for us to move up in the rankings, help us in the Big Ten and (give us) a chance for the NCAAs,” he said. “I think they’re tough (matches) but definitely winnable.”
(04/02/07 4:00am)
With his team trailing 1-0 and behind a set on three of the singles courts, IU men’s tennis coach Ken Hydinger turned to his wife and said, “That’s the match,” signaling to senior David Bubenicek on Court 2.\nHe was not implying that Michigan State had the match won, but that the Hoosiers needed Bubenicek to rally from a set down against Alex Forger and win for the team to come away with their 12th victory. \nAfter No. 1, No. 3, No. 4 and No. 6 singles had finished, Bubenicek was still battling it out at No. 2, as was sophomore Peter Antons at No. 5. \nWith Antons 0-10 on the year when losing the first set, the Bubenicek match became even more critical for IU. \nAt 4-3 in the second set, Forger held serve to make it 4-4, but from there on out Bubenicek played very well.\nReeling off eight straight games, Bubenicek won 3-6, 6-4, 6-0 and sealed the Hoosiers’ victory.\n“I didn’t stop believing and I worked every ball and just hoped that it would turn around,” Bubenicek said after the match. “It’s a good feeling right now.” \nWith the match decided, Antons was still fighting on Court 5 against Michael Flowers. After failing to close out the match at 6-5, he had to duke it out in a third-set tiebreak. Antons fell behind early, then jumped ahead of Flowers at 4-3 and held on to win the tiebreak 7-4 and the match 3-6, 6-4, 7-6 (4). \n“I’ve had a little rough time out here (in recent matches),” Antons said. “You just got to know it’s going to be a grind out there – just got to push for whatever it takes.”\nIU got behind early, losing two of the three doubles matches and then at No. 1 singles as top-50-ranked Nick Rinks defeated the Hoosiers’ junior Thomas Richter 6-2, 6-4 at No. 1. \nJunior Dara McLoughlin earned IU’s first singles victory at No. 3, 6-3, 6-1, before a 6-4, 6-2 win at No. 6 by Mak Kendall and a 6-2, 6-0 win by senior Arnaud Roussel at No. 4. \n“We’ve been talking a long time about grinding, and we’ve talked about not checking out, about playing every point hard,” Hydinger said. “We got in a bind on the doubles, and (Michigan State) had some momentum in some singles matches out there. And I thought our guys did a great job of keeping their composure and working through the thing.”
(03/30/07 4:00am)
The IU men’s tennis team won 15 of its 16 matches against Michigan State before coach Ken Hydinger’s arrival in Bloomington. \nSince then, the Hoosiers have continued their dominance of the Spartans, going 22-4 in Hydinger’s 21 seasons. \nWhile No. 71 IU (11-7, 1-2) might be better than Michigan State (9-11, 0-4) on paper, that means nothing to the Hoosiers. \nWhen the two teams clash at noon on Saturday at the Varsity Tennis Courts, the Hoosiers’ focus will not be who is on the other side of the net, but on their own plays. \n“This year’s Michigan State team is the greatest team ever in the history of Michigan State,” Hydinger said. “That’s what we’re going to think. It doesn’t make any difference to us (how good or bad they might be). We’re going to focus on ourselves.”\nHydinger talked about Iowa’s Christian Bierich, whom IU senior David Bubenicek beat Sunday, one day after holding a 3-0 lead in the third set before losing to the nation’s No. 10 player from Ohio State. \nHe referenced that loss when explaining that the Big Ten is unpredictable and everyone must be prepared to play each match. \n“We got to expect everybody to be good and we got to be ready, and the whole thing about this is to maximize what we can do,” Hydinger said. “The only way we’re going to beat somebody is going out and fight(ing) them.”\nJunior Thomas Richter is still adjusting to his new role at No. 1 singles. \nAfter playing three-set matches against opponents from Minnesota and Iowa, Richter hopes that last weekend’s matches will help him “get tougher on the court” and that he has to keep his head up.\n“It’s tougher playing at number one,” he said. “The level is a bit different.”\nThings won’t get easier for him. He will likely face the nation’s 45th-ranked player in junior Nick Rinks. \nRichter should also meet Rinks and partner Adam Monich at No. 1 doubles. \nRanked No. 32, the Monich-Rinks pairing is coming off an upset of the No. 7 team from Notre Dame, the same duo that defeated Richter and junior Dara McLoughlin 8-3 in late January. \nAs Richter moved up, Bubenicek came down to No. 2 (and McLoughlin down to No. 3), but has not had to face much of an adjustment.\n“It’s pretty much (the) same competition,” he said. “I feel it’s a little less pressure than playing (number) one because that’s, you know, top position and you have to come ready like every single time. There are still high expectations but the level is slightly lower.”
(03/26/07 4:00am)
The IU men’s tennis team stands at 1-2 in the Big Ten after splitting a pair of matches this weekend. \nThe Hoosiers (11-7) fell to No. 23 Minnesota on Saturday 5-2, but they stormed back with a 6-1 win against Iowa on Sunday.\nIU had its hands full against Minnesota, an experienced team, in both the singles and doubles lineups. IU senior David Bubenicek and sophomore Peter Antons won 8-4 at No. 2 doubles, but the Hoosiers were unable to win at Nos. 1 and 3, giving the Golden Gophers the doubles point.\n“I thought the doubles point was big,” IU coach Ken Hydinger said. “I didn’t think we came out playing at the right tempo at one and three doubles.”\nDown 1-0, the Hoosiers brought the score to 1-1 with a 6-3, 6-1 victory at No. 4 by senior Arnaud Roussel. Sophomores Peter Antons and Mak Kendall fought hard at No. 5 and No. 6, but both fell. \nLeading 3-1, the Golden Gophers needed just one more victory to seal the match. They got that win at No. 2 when Raoul Schwark, No. 93 in the nation, took down IU senior Bubenicek 7-5, 4-6, 6-3. \nAt No. 3, junior Dara McLoughlin prevailed 6-2, 5-7, 6-3. After starting the season off 8-2, McLoughlin dropped four straight matches but is now back in the groove.\n“In singles I’m a little happier with how I’m playing,” McLoughlin said. “I was really disappointed with how it’s been going lately, and I’ve had three wins in a row.” \nAt No. 1, senior Thomas Richter had momentum after winning the first set, but he was unable to hold on, losing 6-7 (1), 6-3, 6-3.\n“They got the job done on the road,” Hydinger said. “I’m disappointed that we didn’t win this.”\nOn Sunday, IU turned things around, taking the doubles point with wins at No. 1 and No. 3 and giving the team much-needed momentum heading into singles.\nBubenicek was the first off the court with a 6-1, 6-3 win at No. 2. At No. 4, Roussel earned his team-high 13th singles victory of the spring, winning 6-4, 6-2. At No. 5, Antons fell to 0-3 in Big Ten singles matches, losing 6-4, 6-4.\nA day after playing hard but coming up short, Kendall won the deciding match at No. 6, coming from behind to win 4-6, 6-1, 6-2.\n“I think that’s maybe the best I’ve seen him work here,” Hydinger said. “He was playing good defense, playing some offense, working it around (and he) minimized his unforced errors.\nWith the overall match decided, Richter’s opponent at No. 1 decided to call it quits, despite holding a 6-3, 1-6, 3-2 lead against him. At No. 2, McLoughlin pulled out yet another win, with a 6-2, 7-6 (6) score, ending the day well for IU. \n“The main thing is, (this win) gets us back to 1-2 in the Big Ten,” Hydinger said. “And we’ve got Michigan State here next week, and if we get that, we’re back to .500, and then (we’ll) jump from there.”
(03/23/07 4:00am)
This weekend, the No. 68 IU men’s tennis team (10-6) resumes its Big Ten campaign, three weeks removed from a 7-0 loss in its conference opener at Ohio State. \nThe Hoosiers will host No. 23 Minnesota (11-3) at noon Saturday, followed by Iowa (7-3) at noon Sunday.\n“If you’re not ready to brawl, you’re going to get it handed to you,” IU coach Ken Hydinger said of Big Ten conference matches. “We’d like to play this weekend and be 2-1. That’s the plan anyway.” \nLast season, IU upset then-No. 38 Minnesota, ending a 13-match losing streak against the Golden Gophers and also marking just its second win against them in 28 tries since April 1988.\nLooking for another upset, the Hoosiers will have to beat a Minnesota team that is 5-3 against ranked opponents and 1-0 in conference play. On Feb. 17, the Gophers snuck by Big Ten bottom-dweller Michigan State, 4-3. \nIowa, the only Big Ten squad yet to play a conference match, will be at No. 2 Ohio State on Saturday before coming to Bloomington. The Hawkeyes, whom Hydinger alluded to as having one of their better teams in recent years, are entering this weekend on a three-match winning streak. \nThe Hoosiers are coming off of wins against No. 57 Furman and Wofford and looking to continue their winning streak into Big Ten play. One of the best players of late has been junior Thomas Richter, who not only has played well with junior Dara McLoughlin at doubles, but also stepped his singles play up during spring break.\nPlaying No. 3, Richter lost to his opponent from No. 20 Clemson but upset the nation’s 27th-ranked player from South Alabama, 6-3, 6-1. Moving up a spot to No. 2, Richter recorded a win against Furman and then won a three-set match at No. 1 against Wofford. \n“I felt better singles-wise,” Richter said. “We started playing outdoors, and I think my game is much better-fitted to play outdoors, and I feel much more comfortable playing outdoors, and that’s why I think I’ve had these results.”\nRichter’s recent success has him sitting at No. 103 in the Fila Collegiate Tennis Rankings, and although his strong play is no surprise to Hydinger, it has been a roller coaster ride to get him there.\n“He comes in (spring semester), and because he’s transferring schools he doesn’t have a place to play over Christmas,” Hydinger said. “Then … he’s playing inside, it’s dark. They check his eyes, he’s 20-50 vision (and it) takes a while to get contacts. Then he misses three weeks of school (to be) with his dad.”\nAside from Richter missing four matches, Hydinger has had to shake up the lineup a lot anyway due to injuries. Junior Mike McCarthy is currently nursing a hurt shoulder, while senior Arnaud Roussel is recovering from an ankle sprain. \n“I will be a hundred percent this weekend,” Roussel said.\nMcCarthy, meanwhile, said that he will likely sit out this weekend’s matches.\nIt has been seven matches since the Hoosiers had their full lineup available. Even then, No. 1 singles player senior David Bubenicek was recovering from a wrist injury.
(03/19/07 4:00am)
The IU men’s tennis team traveled to Clemson, S.C., with hopes of snapping a three-match losing streak and winless record against nationally ranked opponents. \nAfter dropping their two Clemson Invitational matches March 10, the Hoosiers rebounded, upsetting No. 57 Furman and also defeating Wofford on Thursday.\nIU (10-6) began the trip by losing to tournament host No. 20 Clemson, 7-0. The Hoosiers were swept in both singles in doubles, losing each of the nine matches. \nAt No. 1 singles, senior David Bubenicek fought hard against reigning ACC player of the week, Clement Reix, but came up short, losing 6-4, 4-6, 7-6. At No. 4, senior Arnaud Roussel was on track to win, ahead 6-4, 4-1, but an ankle injury forced him to retire and cede the match.\nIn the second match last Saturday, a shorthanded IU squad fell to No. 18 South Alabama, 6-1. Without junior Mike McCarthy and the injured Roussel, the Hoosiers found themselves in a jam, having to forfeit No. 3 doubles and No. 6 singles, but the team put up a strong effort nonetheless.\n“You couldn’t tell that we started the match down,” IU coach Ken Hydinger said. “They were fighting, which is a really positive thing to see. It was a tough situation for them to be in, and they handled it well.” \nJunior Thomas Richter posted the Hoosiers’ lone singles win at No. 3 by scoring an upset against the nation’s 27th ranked player, Marek Sramek, 6-3, 6-1. At No. 1 doubles, Richter and junior Dara McLoughlin bounced back from a loss against Clemson to upset Sramek and partner Robert Hodel, the nation’s No. 43 doubles team. \nFive days removed from the South Alabama and Clemson matches, the Hoosiers returned to action, earning a 6-1 victory against Furman and putting a halt to their losing skid. After earning the doubles point, the Hoosiers took five of the six singles matches, highlighted by Bubenicek’s defeat of No. 110 Andy Juc, 6-2, 6-1.\n“This is one of the best teams that Furman has had and we handled them very well,” Hydinger said. “David defeated a guy who has beat(en) a lot of good players. In addition, we continued to look good in doubles. We have had some injuries and other things affect the team as of late that has forced some changes to the lineup, but we are fighting well regardless.”\nIn the afternoon match, IU took down Wofford, also by the score of 6-1. \nRichter stepped up to win at No. 1, while McLoughlin, Roussel and sophomores Mak Kendall and Peter Antons posted wins at Nos. 3 through 6, respectively. \nThursday’s wins marked the fifth time this season that the Hoosiers have swept a doubleheader.
(03/09/07 5:00am)
The IU men’s tennis team (8-4) was in for a treat Wednesday. As they stepped onto the Varsity Courts, the sun was shining with the temperatures in the mid-40s. Junior Mike McCarthy said it was the team’s second day outside, and while the weather was pleasant in Bloomington, they have four spring break matches to play in the warm weather of Clemson, S.C.\nThe No. 75 Hoosiers left for Palmetto State on Thursday riding a three-match losing streak and an 0-4 record versus nationally ranked opponents. In three of the four matches, IU will have a chance to upset a ranked team, but the biggest difficulty may be playing outside. Senior David Bubenicek said it will be a tough transition from playing their previous 12 matches indoors.\n“The big difference will be (that) we’ll start to play outside, and the teams we’re going to play against are playing outside all the time,” Bubenicek said.\nSaturday, the Hoosiers will play No. 18 South Alabama, which began the year at No. 46, and worked their way up 28 spots with a 10-0 record. On Sunday, the Hoosiers will take on No. 20 Clemson (9-3), which is coming off of an upset of then-No. 10 Florida State. The Tigers are led by No. 72 Clement Reix, the Atlantic Coast Conference’s Player of the Week and winner of his last five matches. \n“They’re two good teams that have been playing outdoors,” IU coach Ken Hydinger said. “They’re used to hitting a lot of balls. You know, they’re quality opponents.”\nAfter facing two Top-20 teams over the weekend, things will get a little easier for IU, but not by much when they square off against Furman (5-6) Thursday morning. Later that day, the Hoosiers will play their final spring break contest, as they take on Wofford (4-3). \nDespite the current losing streak, one bright spot has been the steady play at No. 1 doubles. Junior Dara McLoughlin has won seven straight matches and is 10-2 this spring, 6-2 with junior Thomas Richter and 4-0 with Bubenicek. \nDespite missing four of the last five matches, Richter is ranked No. 56 with McLoughlin in the Fila Collegiate Tennis Rankings. Bubenicek is also ranked with McLoughlin (No. 50), after filling for Richter on Saturday, where they defeated Ohio State’s No. 60-ranked doubles team 8-7. \n“I think David stepped his doubles game up a level from where he had been before; very solid and very well-rounded,” Hydinger said. “With Thomas back, that gives us some options that we can really use at doubles. We’ve got a week down there so nothing’s set in stone.”