Northwestern University Athletics
Northwestern Set For 'Cat Fight Against Princeton
2/24/2010 12:00:00 AM | Men's Tennis
Feb. 24, 2010
EVANSTON, Ill. -- Although the 44th-ranked Wildcats have not played a match in two weeks, they'll be looking to remain hot when they travel to the East Coast to take on No. 75 Princeton at 9 a.m. this Saturday. With a win, Northwestern would stretch its current win streak to three and improve to 5-0 against Ivy League opponents over the past five years.
Youth and Veterans Split NU's Workload
Look for No. 1 doubles to get the ball rolling for the Wildcats. Senior Alex Sanborn and sophomore Joshua Graves have posted a 5-2 record when working together this season, most recently locking down an 8-7 (6-4) victory at No.1 against Middle Tennessee State. Sanborn has been superb on the singles court as well, grabbing two straight victories at No. 4 and No. 3, respectively. And don't sleep on the freshmen 'Cats, either: they still account for more than half of Northwestern's wins in singles play.
Last Time Out
The Wildcats seemed to have bitten off more than they could chew when they hosted then-No. 57 Middle Tennessee State on Saturday, Feb. 13. The Blue Raiders stormed out to a commanding 3-1 lead in the match before Northwestern could hold their ground. However, key singles wins from Sanborn and sophomore Eric Spector tied the score at 3-3. It all came down to No. 3 singles, where freshman Spencer Wolf was doing battle with MTSU's Richard Cowden. After losing the first set 3-6, Wolf employed his blistering serve to secure the next match 6-4. The two traded points in the final set, but Wolf was able to overcome his opponent, earning a 7-5 victory in the final set and the second straight dual match win for NU.
Scouting the Tigers
Although Princeton only boasts a record of 2-3, it enters Saturday's match coming off of a huge 4-3 victory over St. Johns. The doubles tandem of sophomore Yohei Shoji and freshman Matt Siow have an impressive 12-4 record this season, most recently winning four straight matches on the No. 1 doubles court. Princeton has only played one other Big Ten opponent this year, falling 6-1 to Penn State in the season opener. The Tigers hold a 1-0 advantage all-time against Northwestern.
