Independent Student Newspaper Since 1969

The Badger Herald

Independent Student Newspaper Since 1969

The Badger Herald

Independent Student Newspaper Since 1969

The Badger Herald

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Rematch awaits Wisconsin in conference tourney opener

To kick off the Big Ten tournament, the Wisconsin men’s tennis team is preparing for a rematch with Nebraska, its most recently played opponent. The two teams meet under very different circumstances, but the Badgers are hoping for a similar result.

The Badgers have had an exceptional second half of the conference season, winning four out of their last five Big Ten matches. Their latest victory was a 4-3 topping of the Huskers, who were just one spot ahead of them in the Big Ten standings. Due to their proximity at the eighth and ninth spot in conference, the two squads are guaranteed to face off in the tournament’s first round.

A 4-3 win means the dual decision comes down to one match and that Sunday the responsibility landed on the fifth singles court with Alexander Kostanov. The junior transfer lost the first set 6-4 but rallied in the second, taking it 6-4 and forcing the deciding match to a third set. With his teammates behind him, he was able to pull out the win, 6-2, advancing the Badgers to the eighth seed in the conference and a 4-7 conference record.

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“The guys really played hard,” head coach Greg Van Emburgh said. “I think that’s what showed in the result of the singles. We played well up top; every match was close. Down below, Kostanov was really able to step up and clinch that match. It was really good to get a win from a good conference team.”

Since the teams are playing back-to-back, the Badgers’ strengths and weaknesses will be fresh on the Huskers’ minds and vice versa. Unfortunately Wisconsin showcased weak doubles play and finished 0-3 on the doubles courts. It was a rare occurrence for the young squad this season, especially because Fredrik Ask and Billy Bertha’s pairing has the potential for an NCAA bid.

Ask and Bertha are 11-5 overall and boast a winning record of 4-3 in conference play. They are also 4-1 against nationally ranked opponents and have carried their team to a winning percentage above .500 on the doubles court in both conference matches and overall.

“We have the potential to play some good doubles, but sometimes it doesn’t click as we would have hoped,” Van Emburgh said. “We are always looking to make adjustments to see what teams we can put together that will complement each other well enough for tournament play.”

If the Badgers are able to top the Huskers, they will advance to the second round to take on No. 1 seed Ohio State. The Buckeyes own an unblemished 11-0 conference record and have just two losses on the season. Wisconsin’s previous meeting with Ohio State favored the Buckeyes, as they swept the Badgers 7-0.

Like the matchup against Nebraska, Ohio State stifled Wisconsin early as it swept them in doubles play. Unlike their dual with the Huskers, however, the Badgers could not rally back in singles and lost in all seven spots.

Despite the shutout, this loss would be the last in a five-match losing slide as the Badgers went on to claim back-to-back victories. One such victory was against Penn State, the first team that Wisconsin saw in the 2010-2011 Big Ten tournament. The then-sixth seeded Badgers breezed through the first round, defeating the Nittany Lions 4-1 before meeting No. 3 seed Minnesota and losing 4-0.

Wisconsin will follow a similar path this year, as a win over Nebraska will mean a matchup with the much higher-seeded Ohio State.

“It could be good if we go out there and play free and loose,” sophomore Rod Carey said. “We could use it to our advantage because they are feeling pressure. They know we have a good team, but they expect to win.”

Ohio State held the No. 1 seed in the tournament last year as well. The Buckeyes dominated the tournament, as they secured the title without dropping a game in all three of their matches against Michigan State, Illinois and Minnesota.

Ohio State is riding a 90-conference match winning streak that includes Big Ten tournament matches. Van Emburgh and the Badgers are confident that if they make it past Nebraska, they will arrive as a new team to face the Buckeyes, facing them on a winning streak rather than at the end of a losing slump like earlier in the year.

“First and foremost, we have to take care of Nebraska,” Van Emburgh said. “If we do that, Ohio State is a great team, but I think that from where our lineup is we can play with them. It’s just a matter of finishing.”

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