Feb. 10, 2010

2009-10 Northwestern Dual Stats

EVANSTON, ILL. -- Fresh off a victory over previously undefeated Western Michigan, No. 38 Northwestern finishes its brief homestand as it welcomes No. 57 Middle Tennessee State to Evanston on Saturday. The Wildcats overcame a 3-1 deficit to score a 4-3 victory against MTSU last year in Tennessee, so the Blue Raiders will be looking for revenge in the noon match at Combe Tennis Center.

For fans that aren't able to attend, live stats are available by clicking here.

Northwestern will turn once again to its young talent in its attempt to remain undefeated at home in February, as true freshmen Sidarth Balaji, Mark Schanerman, and Spencer Wolf look to play a significant role in the match. The three are a combined 13-7 in singles this season, accounting for 50 percent of Northwestern's victories on the singles court. Veterans Tobias Reitz and Alex Sanborn aim to capitalize on the momentum from winning their doubles and singles matches last week and continue their winning ways against MTSU.

Last Time Out
After suffering three straight tough defeats at the hands of nationally ranked foes, Northwestern was able to get back on track with a 5-2 victory against then-No. 75 Western Michigan. While the `Cats top two singles players, Joshua Graves and Andrew McCarthy, were unable to compete, several younger players took advantage of the opportunity to face stiffer competition. Having never previously played higher than No. 4 singles, freshman Spencer Wolf was able to post a 6-4, 6-2 victory over Kazuya Komada at No. 2 singles, and freshman Mark Schanerman clinched the match after dominating the third set in his 6-3, 6-7 (5), 6-1 win over Brad Noel at No. 5 singles.

Scouting the Blue Raiders
Middle Tennessee State enters Saturday in the midst of a winless five-match road trip. A disappointing performance at the National Indoor Qualifiers was followed by losses to Tennessee, New Mexico, and Denver, yet the Blue Raiders are still a formidable opponent as seen by their No. 57 national ranking. They are led by 105th-ranked singles player John Peers, showing a 2-2 dual match record at No. 1 singles, while teaming up with sophomore Victor Melo to form the 23rd-ranked doubles team in the nation.