Hoosiers gear up for first dual meet

After a rigorous fall individual season, the men's tennis team will begin its spring season at 3:30 p.m. Thursday at Notre Dame.\nIt is the first dual meet of the year for the Hoosiers, ranked No. 25 by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association, and the team is eager to begin competitive play.\n"I think everyone's excited," junior Rahman Smiley said. \nThe Hoosiers cannot be accused of easing their way into the season; the Fighting Irish are No. 33 in the nation. Notre Dame is already 2-0.\nThey claim two ranked singles players, Javier Taborga (No. 75) and Casey Smith (No. 95), and one ranked doubles team in Taborga and Aaron Talarico (No. 38).\n"Notre Dame is a good team," coach Ken Hydinger said. "They always play well at home. \n"We will definitely have to play tough up there to have a shot at doing anything."\nAfter a three-month off-season, the players said they feel they are playing well.\nAnother reason for IU's confidence is experience. Even freshman Bernard Tsepelman can claim some. \nHe defeated Notre Dame players at the Tom Fallon Invitational in the fall at South Bend. Although this might be his first scored match, Tsepelman said he isn't nervous.\n"I get more pumped up than nervous," said Tsepelman, from Forest Hills, N.Y. "This team has a lot of motivation."\nTsepelman is one of three underclassmen on the team. The other Hoosiers already know what it is like to play in season openers.\n"I've been ready," Smiley said. "This is what we've been working towards"