SMU Mustangs (4-3) @ Nebraska Cornhuskers (3-3)
Sunday, Feb. 20 at 10:00 a.m. CT
Sid and Hazel Dillon Tennis Center (Lincoln, Neb.)
Live Stats: http://sidearmstats.com/nebraska/mtennis/xlive.htm
Live Video: https://huskers.com/sports/2019/1/28/211695063.aspx?id=2120
Omaha Mavericks (3-6) @ Nebraska Cornhuskers (3-3)
Sunday, Feb. 20 at 5:00 p.m. CT
Sid and Hazel Dillon Tennis Center (Lincoln, Neb.)
Live Stats: http://sidearmstats.com/nebraska/mtennis/xlive.htm
Live Video: https://huskers.com/sports/2019/1/28/211695063.aspx?id=2120
The Nebraska men’s tennis team looks to build off its thrilling victory over Wichita State, as the Huskers continue their three-game home stand. They take on SMU on Sunday at 10 a.m. CT and Omaha at 5 p.m. CT on Sunday at the Sid and Hazel Dillon Tennis Center.
Live stats are available using the link provided above. Updates will be posted to Huskers.com and @HuskerMTennis on Twitter.
Scouting SMU
• The Mustangs enter Sunday’s matchup with a 4-3 record after winning their first three games of the spring season.
• Caleb Chakravarthi participated in the Dallas Open two weekends ago, taking on the 150th ranked Vasek Pospisil, falling 6-1, 6-0.
• Adam Neff has won five matches in a row. He is undefeated in singles dual matches this season and has not yet dropped a single set.
• Liam Krall is 2-0 in the No. 1 singles spot for SMU, and holds a spring record of 5-1 in dual matches.
Scouting Omaha
• The Mavericks enter Sunday’s matchup with a 3-6 record after winning their last two games of the spring season.
• Last week, Todd Chen was named the Summit League’s Men’s Tennis Athlete of the Week. He was 3-0 over the weekend and his victory in the No. 4 spot against Youngstown State gave UNO the match win.
• Matt Hulme, an All-Summit League performer last year, leads the Mavericks with four singles win as he is 4-4 with all eight matches coming in the No. 1 spot.
• In doubles play, Victor Sklenka and Hulme are 2-0 at the No. 1 spot, including victories over Washburn and Marquette.
Series History
• Nebraska is 0-4 all-time against the SMU Mustangs, but this is the first meeting at the Dillon Tennis Center between both teams.
• Their last matchup came on February 8, 2020, where the Mustangs defeated the Huskers 4-3 at a neutral site in Norfolk, Virginia.
• The Huskers are 6-1 all-time against the Omaha Mavericks, with Nebraska winning the last two matchups.
• Their last meeting came on February 10, 2019, where the Huskers defeated the Mavericks 4-0 at the Dillon Tennis Center.
Up Next
• The Huskers will travel to the Blue-Grey National Tennis Classic with matches on Feb. 25 and Feb. 26. The tournament will be held in Montgomery, Alabama.
Hietaranta Continues Strong 2022 Campaign
• Roni Hietaranta has started the year off strong, winning his first six singles matches to begin the season with a 6-0 record. Dating back to the fall, he now has 14 total singles wins which marks the most on the team thus far.
• On Jan. 25, Hietaranta was named Big Ten Co-Athlete of the Week after singles wins over Baylor and Oklahoma. He knocked off the No. 54 ranked singles competitor in the nation, defeating Oklahoma’s Jordan Hasson, 6-4, 7-5. The Lappeenranta, Finland native also defeated Baylor’s Cole Gromley in the No. 6 spot, 6-1, 6-3.
• This past weekend, Hietaranta rallied back from a 4-2 hole to knock off Wichita State’s Orel Ovil and clinch the victory for the Huskers. He won the singles match against Ovil 6-4, 2-6, 6-4.
Moreno and Mueller Holding Down Back Half of Lineup
• Victor Moreno Lozano currently holds the second-most wins for the Huskers as he boasts a 4-1 singles record for Nebraska this season. He’s gathered two victories in the No. 5 and No. 6 spots respectively for the Big Red, defeating Wichita State’s Alex Richards to help fuel to comeback victory for Nebraska.
• Calvin Mueller has also proved to be a force towards the top half of the lineup as he is 2-2 on the season so far. Both of his victories have come in the No. 3 spot against Creighton and Drake at home. He also added his lone doubles victory in as many matches, teaming with Rudra Dixit to take down Creighton’s Zach Maline and Stratton Brown.
Maruyama Takes Next Step
• Shunya Maruyama has won two of his last three singles matches, with a win in the No. 5 and No. 6 spot. He is tied for the second most wins on the team dating back to the fall, and has proved to be a consistent player for the Huskers so far this spring once again.
• In doubles action, he has three wins in four matches, including a 2-1 record with Dixit primarily in the No. 2 and No. 3 spots. He has continued to build off a 2021 season in which he gathered the most wins for the Huskers with eight, including a win in the No. 1 spot over Penn State.
Tough Schedule Early
• Nebraska has matched up against two, top 25 teams in its first six games to begin the spring season. They lost to No. 2 Baylor at home, 6-1, and No. 24 Oklahoma on the road, 5-2. Once they reach the back half of their schedule, the Huskers will meet currently ranked opponents in five of their last 12 games.
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