Indiana men’s tennis played with confidence in a commanding 4-0 win over Illinois State last weekend. The Hoosiers sit at 10-5 on the season and have one final match before Big Ten play begins. Indiana will fly out west for a Thursday match against the University of California, Santa Barbara.
“We know they’re a tough team,” head coach Jeremy Wurtzman said following the Hoosiers’ win over Illinois State March 10. “We’re going to have to bring our A game.”
The Gauchos are 12-1 this year and are the No. 33 team in the entire country by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association.
The Gauchos are an undefeated 5-0 at home this year at the Arnhold Tennis Center. The Hoosiers' poor road record, 0-4, sets up a tough match for Indiana.
“We have to have confidence going into the match,” Wurtzman said. “We can’t go into the match feeling like we’ve already lost.”
UCSB will play No. 53 Yale University on Wednesday, just a day before it takes on Indiana. The Hoosiers lost to the Bulldogs 4-0 back on March 5.
The Gauchos singles lineup is headlined by top-120 player, junior Pablo Musjan. In doubles, they are led by the top-50 duo of junior Kai Brady and redshirt junior Phillip Jordan. The pair went 21-3 a year ago in doubles play and could be a problem for the Hoosiers at No. 1 doubles.
“(UCSB is) a really talented team,” Wurtzman said. “We’re going to have our work cut out for us.”
The match on Thursday is scheduled for 5 p.m. and marks the conclusion of the nonconference part of the Hoosiers’ schedule. Big Ten play will begin for Indiana on the road against Purdue on March 25.
Follow reporter Zach Browning (@ZachBrowning17) for updates throughout the Indiana men’s tennis season.
