The Flames men's tennis team will return to action with two matches in two days this weekend.  The team will host Southern Utah at H-F Racquet Club in Homewood-Flossmoor Friday, and then travel to Bloomington to take on Illinois State on Saturday.

"We are looking forward to competing at a high level this weekend," head coach Hans Neufeld said.  "Both of our opponents have a strong ranking and will be competitive challenges.  The key for us will be the doubles points.  We need our doubles teams to play well to set the tone for the singles."

Service

• Niko Wasilewicz has been the Flames' mainstay on the #1 singles court thus far in the young season.
• Marcelo Dib and Johan Hedstrom have alternated matches on the #2 and #3 flights.
• Marco Nanni has manned the #4 slot, with the final two courts rotating among Alvaro de la Fuente, Piotr Lada, Kailash Panchapakesan, and William Wale.

Return

• The doubles teams have remained consistent.  Dib and Wasilewicz are the #1 team, and they have a Horizon League Doubles Team of the Week award under their belt.
• Hedstrom and Nanni make up the #2 pair, and de la Fuente and Wale compete on the #3 court.

Winner

• Hedstrom has the Flames' only singles win this season.  He won at #3 against Davidson.
• Dib and Wasilewicz defeated a strong Marquette pair earlier this year, resulting in their Horizon League honor.
• Dib and Wasilewicz have an overall winning record this season.  Hedstrom and Nanni have broken even at 3-3.

Last Time Out

• The Flames fell to a senior-laded Davidson squad, 6-1, on February 10.
• Hedstrom and Nanni led their doubles set 5-4 when it was called due to Davidson clinching the doubles point.
• Panchapakesan and Wasilewicz each fought to a third set, but both came up on the short end.
• Hedstrom won the tiebreaker, 10-5, for the win at #3.

Scouting Southern Utah

• Southern Utah defeated Pacific Lutheran 4-0, and fell to Seattle 5-2, in a split doubleheader last Saturday.
• Agustin Tamagnone won two singles matches in the #4 flight.
• The Thunderbirds shuffled their doubles pairings between matches, yet still won five of the six sets.
• Tamagnone, Guy Feigin, and Jonathan Morales share the team lead with three singles wins apiece this season.
• SUU will face Chicago State Saturday afternoon before playing the Flames at 6:00 pm.

Scouting Illinois State

• The Redbirds have won six straight matches, including wins over Toledo, UAB, and Horizon League member Wright State.
• Illinois State swept all six singles matches in its 6-1 win over George Washington Saturday.
• Christoffer Greve has a 4-2 record in the #1 singles flight.  Igor Kolaric is 5-1 on the #2 court.
• Andreas Boers and Pol Rius Boitfoll have been ISU's most consistent doubles team, posting a 6-1 record at #2.
• The Redbirds will host DePaul Friday, before the Flames arrive for a 3 pm match Saturday.