After nine days off, IU men’s tennis will be back in action Monday in its first doubleheader of the season when the University of California, Santa Barbara and Xavier University visit Bloomington.
Currently 3-3, IU is coming off a 4-2 loss to Middle Tennessee State University on Feb. 7. The match started out positively. But the team dropped all six first sets of singles play after it earned the doubles point to start the match. Despite bouncing back in three of the second sets, the Hoosiers could not work out of the hole they put themselves in.
The long rest before the doubleheader was not planned, IU head coach Jeremy Wurtzman said. However, IU embraced the time to get healthy and ready for the rest of the season.
“I don't know if I love the long break, but we'll use it for what it is,” Wurtzman said.
With 12 singles and six doubles matches to plan for and play, Monday is not a typical game day for the players or Wurtzman.
“You can't take anyone lightly and everyone's got to be willing to go out and play two matches, and we'll kind of play it by ear with each match,” Wurtzman said.
Senior Bennett Crane said early preparation is key for success in these doubleheaders.
“If you're prepared early, then everything else just kind of falls into place for you,” Crane said.
First up for IU on Monday is UCSB. This is the third meeting between the two and the first since 1994. The Hoosiers are still searching for its first win against the Gauchos.
The Gauchos have struggled to start the season. UCSB is currently 2-7, a drop-off from the 17-7 finish from last season. The team is in the midst of a four-game losing streak, most recently on Saturday to the University of Minnesota.
UCSB’s travel and IU’s rest could be important factors heading into Monday. Wurtzman said he doesn’t think they’ve been fully healthy for one match yet this season. Despite the advantages in the Hoosiers’ favor, Wurtzman knows things are decided on the court.
“West coast school to east coast school, outdoor from indoor, so there's a lot of positives going into the match,” Wurtzman said. “But that doesn't necessarily win you the match by any means.”
Even with the team’s early struggles, UCSB still has top ranked talent for IU to contend with in No. 8 Joseph Guillin. He was named to the Big West First Team in both singles and doubles in 2018-19, is 5-3 on the season, but has lost his last two matches.
Later that afternoon, IU will face Xavier. The Hoosiers were victorious in 2014 in the only other meeting between the schools.
Xavier, 4-4, is coming off a doubleheader Friday, losing to Georgetown University 4-3 and defeating Thomas More University 7-0.
Even though Xavier has struggled in recent seasons, Wurtzman said IU can’t underestimate them.
“We can't have a letdown after (UCSB), win or lose,” Wurtzman said. “We have to be ready to really bring our best because we know this is a big opportunity.”
