Indiana University Athletics
Hoosiers Prepare to Battle 'Bama
2/19/2009 12:00:00 AM | Men's Tennis
Feb. 19, 2009
Indiana looks to get back on track this weekend when they square off with the Alabama Crimson Tide. Alabama should be a tough test for the Hoosiers as they are the 19th-ranked team in the country and bring a 6-1 record to Bloomington. The Crimson Tide’s only loss on the season was a 4-3 defeat at the hands of #20 Pepperdine. Alabama boasts three nationally-ranked singles players and a nationally-ranked doubles tandem. Mathieu Thibaudeau is ranked #69, John Lewis is #106 and Billy Mertz is #115. Thibaudeau and Daniel Buikema are the 48th-ranked doubles tandem in the country.
This will be the 14th meeting between the two schools in men’s tennis. Alabama holds a one-match lead in the all-time series, winning the last four meetings. The Hoosiers fell to Alabama, 1-6, on Feb. 24, 2008. The last meeting prior to 2008 was in 1994, with the Crimson Tide taking a 2-5 decision.
Alabama head coach Billy Pate has a career record of 229-130 and a record of 100-72 at Alabama. He is in his seventh season at Alabama, and his eleventh as a head coach.
LAST TIME OUT
The Hoosiers fell to the #31 Kentucky Wildcats on Saturday 6-1. The Hoosiers took the number five singles flight and the number three doubles flight in the match.
Freshman Jeremy Langer took down Alberto Gonzalez 3-6, 6-2, 1-0 (4). The Toronto native took four wins last weekend against Nebraska and Georgia State.
In doubles play, senior Peter Antons and freshman Maxime Armengaud defeated Graeme Dyce and Eric Quigley by an 8-4 tally.
200 FOR BLOEMENDAAL
Indiana’s third victory of the season, over Gardner-Webb, marked the 200th win for Randy Bloemendaal. The win was his 19th at IU. Bloemendaal is in his eleventh season as a head coach and his second at Indiana.
LOOKING AHEAD...
Indiana is back in Bloomington for the first of three straight weekends with home contests. After the Alabama meet, the Hoosiers will host the Butler Bulldogs and Southern Illinois Salukis on March 1. The team then starts Big Ten play with Northwestern on March 7 and #43 Wisconsin on March 8.
