The Michigan State women’s tennis team begins its Big Ten Conference season with two challenging road matches this weekend. The Spartans will face No. 52 Iowa on Friday, March 7, in Iowa City and No. 44 Nebraska on Sunday, March 9, in Lincoln.
Friday’s match against Iowa will begin at 6 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. CT, while the match against Nebraska will take place at 1 p.m. ET / 12 p.m. CT on Sunday. Fans can follow both matches through the “Watch Live” and “Live Results” links available at MSUSpartans.com.
Michigan State heads into Big Ten play with an 8-3 record, including a recent 2-4 loss to No. 57 Columbia. Before that setback, the Spartans had an impressive eight-match win streak, their longest since the 2004-05 season.
The Spartans face a tough test as they take on two ranked teams. Iowa is currently ranked No. 52, and Nebraska holds the No. 44 spot in the ITA standings. This will be Michigan State’s third consecutive match against a ranked opponent.
Series History vs. Iowa
Michigan State has a long history with Iowa, dating back to the 2002-03 season. However, the Spartans have struggled, holding a 5-18 record over the past 23 years. Iowa is on a five-match win streak against Michigan State, with the last Spartan victory coming in the 2018-19 season in East Lansing. The Spartans will look to break this losing streak and earn their first Big Ten win of the season.
Scouting Iowa
Iowa enters the match with a 6-3 record and is ranked No. 52. The Hawkeyes have a 3-1 record at home and a 3-1 record on the road. Junior Tereza Dejnozkova is ranked No. 84 in singles and has a 12-6 overall record, including 6-2 in the spring season. Iowa has no ranked doubles teams.
Series History vs. Nebraska
Michigan State and Nebraska first met in the 2011-12 season after Nebraska joined the Big Ten Conference. The Spartans lead the all-time series 6-5, but they’ve lost three of the last five meetings. Michigan State will look to earn its first win over Nebraska in four years.
Scouting Nebraska
Nebraska, ranked No. 44, has a strong 10-1 record, with its only loss coming to No. 25 Baylor in a 2-5 defeat. The Huskers will host No. 4 Michigan just two days before facing Michigan State. Nebraska does not have any ranked singles players or doubles teams.
Up Next
After this weekend’s road matches, Michigan State will return home to face Penn State and Ohio State in its Big Ten home opener. The matches will take place at the MSU Indoor Tennis Center on Saturday, March 15, and Sunday, March 16, both at 12 p.m.
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