Throughout the week, IU Coach Jeremy Wurtzman predicted IU’s matchup against Princeton was not going to be an easy one. He was right.
The Hoosiers did not let their guard down in order to stay on top of their opponents and gain their sixth victory in a row this season.
IU defeated Princeton on Saturday to remain undefeated at home and overall.
This was the first time Wurtzman has registered a win against the Tigers as IU’s head coach.
“It was overall a great team victory for us,” Wurtzman said. “We are doing a very good job during the week preparing for the matches.”
Both Hoosier and Tiger fans at the IU Tennis Center were on the edge of their seats from the beginning.
All three doubles matches needed just their first few points to show none of them would be easy for either team.
At position one doubles, the junior duo of Raheel Manji and Keivon Tabrizi took advantage of its strong servers to get the win.
“We are a really close group of guys,” Manji said. “And I think we love each other so much that it makes battling on the court so much easier and so much more united. This is a special team on and off the court.”
Meanwhile, senior Stefan Lugonjic and sophomore Antonio Cembellin came up short at position two, but they did not go down without a fight.
The Hoosiers were able to secure the doubles point at position three with a victory from freshmen Bennett Crane and Zac Brodney.
Manji carried the momentum from the doubles into the singles and was able to win his match in straight sets 6-2, 6-0 at No. 1, putting up one of his best performances this season against the Tigers.
Similarly at position two singles, Tabrizi won his match on straight sets 6-3, 7-6 (2).
This is the second singles matchup in a row that the junior won in straight sets.
In both, Tabrizi won the second set in a tiebreak.
The victories at Nos. 1 and 2 were the only singles matches that were concluded in two sets.
In all the other positions the final scores were in three sets.
To secure IU’s sixth victory, Cembellin won his position three match in three sets, 6-4, 2-6, 6-3.
Although the Hoosier lost his intensity during the second set of the match, he was able to recover focus and capitalize in the third.
At Nos. 4 and 5, the Hoosiers took a loss.
Ultimately, however, Crane was able to extend IU’s lead to 5-2 after coming back from being a set down to win it at position six 6-7 (5), 6-4, 6-4.
IU faces Louisville next in its fifth consecutive home match. Wurtzman said the Hoosiers know the Cardinals well.
“It is big time, Louisville loves a dog fight and so do we,” Manji said. “We love it in our building especially.”
