Hoosier tennis teams set for grueling weekend

After dealing with nerves and tension in its opening match of the 2006 spring season, the No. 60 IU men's tennis team looks to sweep both matches Saturday for the second time in consecutive weekends. The Hoosiers face the Toledo Rockets, who were recently upended by No. 73 Michigan State, 6-1, on Jan. 21, and the IU-Purdue University Fort Wayne Mastodons. \n"This is supposed to be a pretty good Toledo team," said IU coach Ken Hydinger. "We've played them before and have had pretty good matches with them."\nThe Hoosiers are 3-0 all-time against Toledo, including a 7-0 victory in March 2005. As in-state schools, IU and IPFW are meeting for the first time.\nIU looks to continue its winning ways after defeating Butler and Bradley University Jan. 21. Before shutting out Bradley 7-0, the Hoosiers struggled to overcome a resilient Butler squad. IU earned wins from junior David Bubenicek at No. 3 doubles and freshman Peter Antons at No. 4 singles. But after losing the top two doubles positions and No. 2 singles, the Hoosiers survived an opening match scare with two three-set victories at No. 1 and No. 3 singles by seniors Dmytro Ishtuganov and Neil Kenner.\n"We can play better than we did last weekend," Hydinger said. "It's early in the year, it's the first match and everyone has first match jitters."\nAmong others, Hyndinger might be referring to sophomore Dara McLoughlin, who accounted for two of the losing matches against Butler at No. 2 singles and doubles. But a resolute McLoughlin has his sights set on becoming a reliable point every match for the Hoosiers.\n"It was the first game of the season," McLoughlin said, "and I was nervous and tentative with my shots. I talked to coach after the match, and we talked about being more energetic in the game and having more energy for the game."\nMcLoughlin's loss against Brandon Gill of Butler was the Ireland native's first since falling to Nolan Polly of Wisconsin in the semifinals of the Big Ten Singles Championships.\n"At the Big Tens, I was serving really well," he said. "Everything felt really good, and I was very loose and very confident."\nThe Hoosiers also look to improve their doubles to take some pressure off of their singles matches. Each practice is crammed with doubles work -- doubles account for three of the available seven points in a match -- such as court positioning and communication between teammates. \n"We've been spending a lot more time, after this weekend, on our doubles," said sophomore Michael McCarthy, who teams with McLoughlin at No. 2 doubles. "The first couple matches are always tough. But we're trying to get more experience, or what I call 'match toughness.'"\nThe two matches are set to begin with Toledo at 9 a.m. and continue with IPFW at 3:30 p.m.