Michigan State University Athletics
Women's Tennis Prepares For Last Home Match
4/14/2005 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
April 14, 2005
EAST LANSING, Mich. - The No. 74 Michigan State women's tennis team (11-8, 1-6 Big Ten) will host Ohio State on Sunday, April 17 for its last home match of the 2005 regular season. The match will begin at 10 a.m. and will be held at either the MSU Outdoor Tennis Courts or MSU Indoor Tennis Facility, pending weather. Please call 517-355-2209 that morning for location.
Last Week: The Spartans suffered two losses last week as they fell to No. 53 Illinois, 5-2, and No. 58 Purdue, 4-3, on the road.
Scouting The Opponent:
Ohio State (6-15, 1-5)
Prior to the Buckeye's return to East Lansing, they will stop in Ann Arbor to face Michigan on Saturday (April 16), where they hope to end their four-match losing streak. OSU has not won a match since March 27 when it defeated No. 75 Minnesota, 4-3. Last year, the Buckeyes managed to squeeze by the Spartans, 4-3, in East Lansing. Ohio State leads the series 22-16.
Have I Seen You Before?:
MSU and OSU met this past fall at the ECK Classic in South Bend, on October 15, 2004. State's No. 1 doubles pair of freshman Christine Bader (Okemos, Mich.) and senior Keri Thompson (Clark Lake, Mich.) picked up a win over OSU's Emily DeCamilla and Emily Howard in an 8-5 decision. Thompson also defeated Caitlin O'Keefe, 6-2, 6-1 in singles play.
Where Do We Rank?:
The Green and White were able to remain in the top 75 in the latest ITA poll as it clinched the No. 74 spot. MSU has managed to land a spot in the ITA poll for four weeks this season and has climbed as far as No. 62. Thompson also remains in the singles poll at No. 121.
Home Turf:
Michigan State is currently 8-1 when playing in East Lansing this season. The Spartans had racked up eight-straight wins at home before falling to No. 53 Iowa on April 3. MSU had not lost at home since April 25, 2004.
When Will They Return?:
With only three remaining conference matches, the Spartans are motivated to build their record to 4-6 going into the Big Ten Championships. As the host of the 2005 Big Ten Championships, the Spartans are guaranteed at least one more home match while playing in the tournament. The event will begin on April 28 and run through May 1st.
Comments From head coach Tim Bauer:
On Ohio State:
"We are looking forward to bringing out our best tennis leading into the end of the season and the Big Ten Championships. It will be an exciting match and should be a great preview for the Big Ten Championships."
On the senior class:
"We will be honoring both Keri Thompson and Karen Gustafson in their last regular seasonhome match. Both have added to the program on and off of the court."
On home court advantage:
"We have been training outdoors and look forward to showing off our home court advantage. A big part of that has been due to the growth of our fans. We have had many great supporters who have been coming to our matches regularly and it's great to see such a fine tradition building. I hope we can bring them a win this weekend."
.jpg&height=340&type=webp)
