North Carolina State University Athletics
No. 57 Men's Tennis Set for Tough Weekend
1/20/2011 12:00:00 AM | Men's Tennis
Jan. 20, 2011
RALEIGH, N.C. -
The NC State men’s tennis team, ranked No. 57 nationally, will hit the road this weekend for matches at No. 13 Louisville and No. 46 Indiana.
The Wolfpack will battle the Cardinals on Friday, Jan. 21, at 4 p.m., before facing the Hoosiers on Saturday Jan. 22, at 2 p.m.
Wolfpack in the ITA Polls
NC State is ranked No. 57 nationally in the latest ITA team poll, while three netters are ranked in singles. Jaime Pulgar is ranked No. 61, while Dominic Hodgson (No. 82) and Dave Thomson (No. 106) are also ranked. The rankings mark the first time in program history that three players have been ranked at the beginning of the year.
Series History
NC State trails in the all-time series against both teams, standing 1-2 against Louisville and 1-7 versus Indiana. The Pack dropped close 4-3 matches to both opponents in the last meeting, facing the Cardinals in 2009 and the Hoosiers in 2008.
Last Time Out
NC State got its season started on Jan. 15 by sweeping both Davidson (7-0) and UNC Wilmington (7-0). Wolfpack netters won four of six doubles bouts and all 12 singles contests on the day between the two matches.
Scouting the Opposition
Louisville, ranked No. 13 nationally, holds a 1-0 record after blanking Old Dominion to open its season last weekend. Three Cardinals are ranked in singles play, including No. 8 Austen Childs, No. 75 Viktor Maksimcuk and No. 98 Simon Childs.
Last season the Cardinals went 24-5, falling to Tennessee in the NCAA Round of 16.
Indiana will open its spring season against the Wolfpack before facing IUPUI later in the day. A year ago the Hoosiers were one of the first teams left outside the NCAA bracket.
Doubles Point is the Key
NC State is 2-0 thus far in the young season when grabbing the coveted doubles point to take an early advantage in dual match play.
A year ago the Pack went 10-3 when collecting the doubles tally, making the most of its opening lead.
ACC Tennis = Best in the Country
When you’re talking ACC tennis, you’re talking about the best that college athletics has to offer. In the latest ITA poll 11 of the ACC’s 12 teams are ranked, including 11 in the top 75, eight in the top 50 and six in the top 25.
