Hoosiers challenge best in the Midwest

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