No. 69 IU to play 3 teams in Bloomington

The No. 69 IU men’s tennis team will play Iowa at noon Saturday for its fifth consecutive home match.

This will also be the team’s seventh Big Ten competition this season. The Hoosiers are currently 4-2 in the Big Ten.

The Hawkeyes are 0-5 against the Big Ten and will be looking to get their first conference victory against the Hoosiers. Conference competition is not the only spot where the Hawkeyes struggle. They have struggled on the road this season with a 1-5 away record.

They will be facing a tough home team in IU. The Hoosiers are 9-3 at home, having all but three of their season wins coming from their home courts. With that being said, before IU started its conference play, IU Coach Randy Bloemendaal said the Big Ten was tough competition.

“In order to stay strong in the Big Ten, we have to keep improving,” Bloemendaal said.

IU is looking to improve its record to 13-10. Iowa has struggled recently, as they are on a three-game losing streak. The team has lost nine of its last 10 games after starting the season with a six-game winning streak.

Iowa’s overall record is 7-10, and they will be facing a team that has won six of its last eight games.

The Hoosiers will also be competing in a doubleheader Sunday against Nebraska (9-8) and DePauw, which has only won three games all season.

The Cornhuskers defeated the Hawkeyes 6-1 Wednesday. Competition against Nebraska will start at noon Sunday, followed by the DePauw match at 6 p.m.

— Frank Bonner