Feb. 21, 2011
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THIS WEEK: The University of Iowa men’s tennis team will host in-state rival Drake this Wednesday. The Hawkeyes and Bulldogs will start play at 6 p.m. at the HTRC. Live match results will be avaliable at http://live.iowatennis.com.
SCOUTING THE OPPONENT: The Bulldogs have a perfect 6-0 overall record. In their last competition, Drake defeated Graceland, 6-1. The Bulldogs have one ranked singles player in No. 122 Mauricio Ballivian. The doubles tandem of Ballivian and Anis Ghorbel are ranked No. 80.
HAWKEYE COMPETITORS: Iowa’s tentative lineup features Marc Bruche, Nikita Zotov, Will Vasos, Austen Kauss, Tom Mroziewicz, Garret Dunn and Jonas Dierckx.
HAWKEYES BLANK WMU: The Hawkeyes shut out Western Michigan 7-0 in their last competition on Sunday. The homestanding Iowa squad won all but one doubles match to claim all possible points. Bruche, Vasos, Mroziewicz, and Dunn all won their singles matches comfortably. Zotov and Kauss rallied after dropping the first set, as Iowa went 6-0 in singles. Bruche and Vasos won in doubles 8-6, and Kauss and Dierckx also teamed up to win 8-4.
IOWA RALLIES PAST REDBIRDS: With two singles matches remaining, the Hawkeyes were trailing Illinois State 3-2. Yet, Vasos and Kauss each came up with heroics in the third set, and the Hawkeyes rallied their way to a 4-3 victory last Friday. Bruche also won in No. 1 singles, and Dunn won in No. 6 singles. Dunn and Mroziewicz provided the lone doubles victory for Iowa in the match.
HOME COMFORTS: The Hawkeyes are perfect on their home courts, going 3-0 at the HTRC. Iowa’s next two matches are at home before going on a three game road trip.
HEAD COACH Steve Houghton: Steve Houghton, the dean of Big Ten tennis coaches, is in his 30th year as head coach of the Hawkeyes. He has compiled a career record of 326-331 (.499), recording the most wins of any coach in Iowa men’s tennis history. Houghton recorded his 300th win at Indiana State Feb. 6, 2009. Four of Houghton’s athletes have also been selected Big Ten Sportsman of the Year.
HOUGHTON ON COMPETITION: “This is going to be a tough match. They are as big of a rival as we have, and are always in the top of the Missouri Valley Conference.”
UP NEXT: Iowa will begin Big Ten play on March 6th, hosting Illinois at the HTRC. Start time is at noon. The Fighting Illini are currently 6-4 and ranked ninth in the nation.