Hoosiers extend streak to 6 straight wins

The IU men's tennis team did something this weekend it had failed to do all season long -- it won on the road. \nThe Hoosiers snapped out of their spring road-match rut with emphasis over the weekend, winning twice away from home in two close matches at Northwestern and Wisconsin -- extending their win streak to six straight.\n"I don't know if we can consider this getting over a hump or not," said IU head coach Ken Hydinger. "Good teams win on the road. We need to do that, and we had a good weekend and got that done."\nThe 10-8 Hoosiers started the weekend on Saturday with a gritty 4-3 win over Northwestern, in which the IU doubles squads provided the decisive point. The No. 2 and No. 3 doubles teams clinched the point victory for the Hoosiers. \nIU and the Wildcats went on to split the singles contests, with victories coming from steady senior Jakub Praibis, junior Neil Kenner, and senior Tom Bagnato. \nBagnato, an insert into the lineup due to a John Stone ankle injury, didn't even know on the bus ride north whether he would see court time or not.\n"I was really unsure of whether or not I would play," Bagnato said. "I focused on my game instead of the options, and just came mentally prepared."\nBagnato's contribution would prove helpful again Sunday, when the Hoosiers traveled to Madison, Wis. to face to face the Badgers.\nAfter losing the singles point to Wisconsin, Bagnato and IU rallied to win five of the six singles contests en route to a 5-2 win. \nBagnato won again for the Hoosiers Sunday, drawing the praise of his head coach.\n"Tom really stepped up this weekend for us," Hydinger said. "He came through on both days, and for not usually being in the lineup, really helped us put the pressure on the other teams with his play."\nKenner, a player Hydinger says is "on the rise," gave the Hoosiers two wins this weekend as well.\n"I'm an outdoor player," Kenner said, referring to the team's recent outdoor matches. "I've grown up playing on slow courts like this, so I'm in my zone right now."\nKenner and the Hoosiers are 6-0 since March 9, a stretch that includes three Big Ten wins. The stretch has vaulted IU from a paltry 4-8 to a solid 10-8 overall record, and a 4-1 Big Ten tally.\nKenner hopes IU can keep the fortunes in their favor.\n"We're all playing well and taking pride in our matches right now," he said. "Everything is going our way. We need to stay focused, keep fighting and stay relaxed, and maybe we'll be able go out and win a Big Ten title."\n-- Contact Staff Writer Eamonn Brennan at eabrenna@indiana.edu.