University of Minnesota Athletics
Gophers Take Six-Match Win Streak Into Weekend
2/25/2009 12:00:00 AM | Men's Tennis
Riding a six-match winning streak, Minnesota looks to continue its momentum into a Saturday doubleheader with non-conference opponents at the Baseline Tennis Center.
The Gophers, who are 8-1 overall and ranked 48th in the country, look to wrap up a perfect seven-match homestand when they host 45th-ranked East Tennessee State at 10 a.m. and unranked Western Michigan at 4:30 p.m. The two visiting schools will play each other on Sunday at 11 a.m. at the Baseline Tennis Center.
Minnesota has already defeated four ranked opponents this spring. The Gophers have combined to post a 45-9 record in singles matches and a 20-7 record in doubles. The six-match win streak is Minnesota’s longest since winning seven straight in 2004. Two victories on Saturday would give the Gophers their longest streak since 2003.
Phillip Arndt has had a perfect dual meet season for the Gophers with a 9-0 record, including a 5-0 mark at No. 4 singles as Minnesota has not dropped a match at the No. 4 spot this season. Arndt is now 17-4 overall for the season. In doubles, Arndt and Ishay Hadash are 8-1 this spring and have won six straight matches.
Tobias Wernet had a six-match win streak stopped in Friday’s team win over 21st-ranked Wake Forest, but he bounced back to win Sunday and improve to 7-1 for the spring and 14-4 overall.
Sebastian Gallego went 3-0 in both singles and doubles last weekend and is now 16-5 overall in singles. He teamed with Julian Dehn for the first time this season for the three doubles victories.
East Tennessee State brings a 1-4 record into the weekend, but has faced a brutal schedule with three losses to top 10 teams, including the top two ranked teams in the nation, Virginia and Georgia. The Buccaneers beat 39th-ranked Wisconsin for their lone victory. Senior Enrique Olivares is ranked 15th in the country individually.
Western Michigan is 8-5 overall and has lost three straight, including defeats at DePaul and Northwestern last weekend. DePaul is the only common opponent between the Gophers and Broncos with Minnesota winning 7-0 and DePaul beating Western Michigan 4-3.
Minnesota and East Tennessee State are meeting for the first time. The Gophers won the only previous meeting with Western Michigan 7-0 during their most recent six-match win streak in 2004.
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