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level of consistency
Team nets best start in five years
ByLisaVonnahme
Staff Reporter
The Nebraska men’s tennis
team is off to its best start in five
years, and consistency will play a
key role in determining whether
the Comhuskers can keep it up,
NU Coach Kerry McDermott
said.
The Huskers get the chance to
maintain their consistency this
weekend in Wichita, Kan.
Nebraska (4-2) will take on the
Wichita State Shockers (1-1)
Saturday at 6 p.m. Both teams are
ranked in the top eight of Region
Five.
“It’s hard to tell where (the
Shockers) are,” McDermott said.
“We expect a tough match down
there. They are a well-coached
team, and it is difficult to win
there”
The Huskers may be without
two of their top six players this
weekend.
Junior Joakim Larsson, who is
currently listed as the team’s No.
6 singles player, will miss the
match because of a knee injury
and is expected to be out for three
weeks.
Senior co-captain Magnus
Grahn suffered a groin injury
against Texas Feb. 14 and is ques
tionable for Saturday’s match.
Grahn is the team’s No. 1 singles
player.
“Magnus practiced yester
day,” McDermott said. “But we
still don’t know if he’ll be able to
play. We’re just going to have to
wait and see.”
^ The team’s current high level
of play and its consistency will be
tested this weekend, McDermott
said, especially if both Larsson
and Magnus are unable to play.
“The consistency of our play
is going to boil down to concen
tration,” McDermott said. “We
always have to compete, no mat
ter what the score is or who the
opponent is.”
Along with continuing their
consistent play, the Huskers’
goals for die 1998 season include
a Big 12 Conference top five fin
ish and making it to the NCAA
Region Five playoffs. Nebraska
finished 9-15 last year.
Overall, NU hopes to prove
itself as die hardest-working team
in the country, McDermott said.
“Our schedule consists of
teams ranked in the top 45-70
nationally,” McDermott said.
“Playing these teams will heljp
improve our rankings and confi
dence.”
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NU hopes
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now that they re worried about
messing up. They just need to relax
and play hard.”
Junior infielder Craig Moore,
who is hitting .500 through NU’s
first three games, said the Huskers
needed to be confident in their abil
ity to win.
“We had some defensive lapses
up there,” Moore said.
Van Horn said NU has been
working this week on basic com
munication on the Held and taking
more control at die plate.
Van Horn said he didn’t know
much about the Panthers, who fin
ished last season 28-30. The 28
wins was a school record for
Wisconsin-Milwaukee, which also
finished third place in the Midwest
Collegian Conference with a 13-11
record.
The Panthers haven t played a
game this season but return six
position starters and eight pitchers.
Wisconsin-Milwaukee Assistant
Coach Scott Doffek said the
Panthers didn’t know much about
their opponent either.
“We have never played them
and have never coached against
them,” Doffek said. “We know it’s
going to be a challenge.
“We’re just happy to get outside
and play. Wie haven’t been outside
to practice or play yet this season. I
hear they are going to have 60.
degree weather. That’s as good as it
gets for us.”
Doffek said the Panthers hope
to play quality baseball this week
end. However, he does know that
UWM pitchers aren’t ready to pitch
a nine inning game.
“We’re not going to treat it like
spring training,” Doffek said. “We
are going to go out there and try to
win every game.”
Moore said the Huskers weren’t
overlooking the Panthers but were
hoping to get a sweep this weekend
to even their season.
A sweep, or at least two wins,
Van Horn said, would give NU
momentum for its tournament next
weekend at Louisville, Ky.
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