No. 20 Michigan home again with crucial match-up against Spartans

By Brian Steere

Daily Sports Writer

With all of the excitement in East Lansing centering around the Spartans' basketball team, most of the Michigan State fans probably weren't thinking about their school's tennis program.

But Michigan State's men's tennis team is traveling to Ann Arbor tonight to take on the No. 20 Michigan men's tennis team at the Varsity Tennis Center.

"Any time that a Michigan player looks across the net and sees a green and white opponent, it's obvious what's at stake," senior Matt Wright said. "Playing against Michigan State definitely pumps everyone up and provides an extra incentive to win."

Tonight's meeting marks the 99th time that the schools have met on the hard courts, and Michigan owns the all time series, 81-17, including eight straight victories.

If there's one sport where the Wolverines should beat the Spartans this year, tennis is it. Michigan State is entering today's match with a 5-14 record, and the team has lost its first three Big Ten contests.

Michigan, on the other hand, has compiled an impressive 8-3 record and is unbeaten at home.

Despite starting the conference season 1-2, the Wolverines are ready to return to the Varsity Tennis Center and prove that they are a dominant Big Ten team.

"It's definitely nice to come back home after being on the road for so long," Wright said. "The fans give us an extra advantage along with the familiar slow courts."

Michigan has been away from Ann Arbor for its last six matches.

During that time, the team went 3-3 and was shut down by No. 23 Minnesota and No. 6 Illinois, the three-time defending Big Ten Champions.

The Fighting Illini match showed Michigan that it can compete with the best talent in the Big Ten.

"Nobody likes to lose, but (playing Illinois) was a positive experience," head coach Mark Mees said. "We really felt that we could play with anyone on their team."

Although the Wolverines lost to the Fighting Illini, 6-1, the score was not indicative of how they played.

Two of the team's defeats occurred in 3 sets, including a 9-7 tiebreaker loss by senior John Long at No. 2 singles.

With the Michigan State match marking the start of a six-game homestand, the Wolverines are entering the most critical part of their season.

If the team has any chance of winning this year's Big Ten championship, it has to make a run starting tonight.

"We need to win these six matches at home," Wright said. "Anything less would be a disappointment."

DAVID KATZ/Daily

John Long and the rest of the No. 20 Michigan tennis team face Michigan State tomorrow evening for the Wolverines first home meet in over a month.

Varsity tennis center

Today

Who: Michigan (1-2 Big Ten, 8-3 overall) vs. Michigan State (0-3, 5-14)

When: 6 p.m.

Latest: After a tough start to the Big Ten season, the men's tennis team returns home to take advantage of their in-state rival.