Indiana University Athletics
Hoosiers Host Notre Dame
1/26/2000 12:00:00 AM | Men's Tennis
Hoosiers Host Notre Dame
Match features Dinner with Doubles
The men's tennis team begins the dual season on Saturday,
as it hosts Notre Dame at 12:30 p.m. Since 1930, Indiana is 19-34
against Notre Dame, including a 4-2 loss last year in Notre Dame,
Indiana.
Coach Hydinger on Notre Dame..."Notre Dame is a big
early season match for us. Our team has aspirations of being
good. Notre Dame is and is historically one of the nations better
teams in terms of talent and results. This match will be a yardstick
of our ability, as well as the effort we have made since the
fall season ended in early November."
Dinner With DOubles...The 4th annual Dinner With Doubles
will take place this Saturday against Notre Dame. For $5 you
get to see great tennis action, plus fans will receive all you
can eat Pizza Hut Buffet (pizza, pasta salad, soft drinks), be
part of a raffle where you can win racquets, tennis clothing
and much more will be given away.
Scouting Notre Dame..22nd Ranked Notre Dame comes into
the match against the Hoosiers with a 1-1 overall record. Last
Friday, it began its dual season with a 5-2 loss to #26 Washington
at the Ice Volleys Invitational in Minneapolis, Minnesota. On
Saturday, the Irish continued the Invitational with a victory
over #31 New Mexico 5-2. Notre Dame is led this year by senior
Ryan Sacchire, who is currently ranked #14 in the country and
Matt Daly who is ranked #65. In doubles, the team of Javier Taborga
and Aaron Talarico is currently ranked 48th.
Recapping the big ten indoor singles...The men's tennis
players took on the rest of the Big Ten at the Big Ten Indoor
Singles Championships on January 15-17 in East Lansing, Michigan.
After losing in the first round of the main draw, Milan Rakvica
bounced back to win five straight matches before losing in the
consolation bracket final. Ian Arons won his opening round match
in the main draw and Ari Widlansky won his first two matches
in the No. 7 and No. 8 bracket. George McGill won his first three
rounds of the consolation draw.
In the rankings...In the current rankings the Indiana
Hoosiers are ranked 40th by the ITA. In Region IV, the Hoosiers
are ranked 5th. Milan Rakvica is currently ranked 84th in the
nation and 24th in the Region. In doubles the team of Rakvica
and Rahman Smiley are ranked 47th in the country and 11th in
the Region.
Reaching 50....Senior George McGill picked up his 50th
career singles victory at the Big Ten Indoor Singles Championship.
He defeated Penn State's Marc Dorfman 7-6,1-6,6-2. He is now
50-33 as a Hoosier.
Continuing great play....Junior Milan Rakvica has picked
up where he left at the end of last year. In his sophomore year,
his first year with the team, Rakvica posted a 30-10 singles
record. So far this year, Rakvica has gone 13-4 in singles. In
doubles, Rakvica holds a career record of 28-16, while going
5-3 this year.
Potpourri....Juniors Ian Arons and Paul Jacobson each
posted a 6-5 singles record during the tournament season...Senior
Gabriel Montilla was 6-4 in singles and needs one victory for
60 in his Indiana career...Sophomore Rahman Smiley has gone 5-4
in singles, while posting a 5-3 doubles record.
Coach Ken Hydinger...is in his 16th season as the Head
Coach of the men's tennis team. He has a overall record of 233-158-1,
while going 104-80 in the Big Ten. Coach Hydinger has been a
coach at the collegiate level for 21 years, coaching at Southwest
Missouri State and Mississippi before coming to Indiana. In his
20 years of coaching he has a record of 299-203-1.
Accessing IU Sport...All information about Indiana Men's
Tennis can be accessed on the web. Just go to http://www.athletics.indiana.edu
and click on Men's Tennis.
