Men's Tennis Hosts Iowa On Saturday
4/5/2007 12:00:00 AM | Men's Tennis
April 5, 2007
EAST LANSING, Mich. -
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After competing in three dual matches last week, the Michigan State men's tennis team takes a break with one matchup against Iowa at the MSU Indoor Tennis Center.
Last weekend, the Spartans suffered three losses at the hands of Notre Dame (7-0), Indiana (5-2) and Ohio State (7-0).
When No. 5 Notre Dame came to visit East Lansing, the 32nd-ranked duo of Adam Monich and Nick Rinks put on a show as they defeated the seventh-ranked doubles team in the nation, collecting their second win over a top-10 doubles twosome in the dual season.
Against No. 71 Indiana, the Spartans clinched the doubles point with wins at Nos. 2 and 3, but dropped five of the singles matches, allowing the Hoosiers to win another Big Ten match. Nick Rinks was the lone Spartan to collect a win. The junior posted a two-set win over 103rd-ranked Thomas Richter, 6-2, 6-4, at the No. 1 singles spot.
In the second of two road matches, State visited third-ranked Ohio State. John Allare was the only Spartan to win a set against a tough Ohio State team. The No. 3 singles player lost the first set, 7-6 (5), to No. 34 Devin Mullings. He came back to tie the match with a 6-4 win in the second set, but lost the third in a super breaker, 10-1.
The Iowa Hawkeyes
Head Coach Steve Houghton and his Iowa Hawkeyes have a very similar roster to Michigan State's young group. The team, like the Spartans, have one senior, two juniors and the rest are freshman and sophomores.
As with Michigan State, the Iowa Hawkeyes are looking for their first Big Ten victory of the season. Iowa is currently 0-4 in Big Ten play, with losses against Ohio State (7-0), Indiana (6-1), Penn State (7-0) and Michigan (6-1).
The Hawkeyes have a pretty consistent doubles lineup at No. 1 with J.P. Ritchie and Bart van Monsjou. In singles, the team is led by van Monsjou who holds a 9-2 dual record at the No.1 spot.
The Last Meeting
Last season, the Spartans posted their only Big Ten victory, 5-2, over the visiting Hawkeyes. Michigan State started with two wins in pair play, for the doubles point. MSU lost the first singles match, but bounced back to earn a point at No. 2, when Adam Monich topped J.P. Ritchie, 6-2, 6-2. With MSU leading, 2-1, IU's Christian Bieirch tied up the score with a 6-3, 6-2 victory over John Allare, but Nick Rinks earned his second victory of the day, defeating Bart van Monsjou, 6-4, 6-4. Michael Flowers earned a 6-4, 6-4 win against Chaitu Malempati, to clinch the match for the Spartans. At No. 6, Scott Rasmussen gave MSU the final point of the day, defeating Kyle Markham, 7-6 (3), 4-6, 1-0 (7).
Players Mentioned
