Men’s tennis to host trio

April 15, 2016

Iowa’s Dominic Patrick attempts to hit the ball during the Iowa-Minnesota meet in the Hawkeye Tennis and Recreation Complex on Sunday, March 28, 2016. The Hawkeyes defeated the Golden Gophers, 4-1. (The Daily Iowan/ Margaret Kispert)

The No. 67 Iowa Hawkeyes will be home at the Hawkeye Tennis and Recreation Complex (HTRC) for the last time this season starting Friday against No. 59 Purdue at 6 p.m.

The Hawkeyes are scheduled to play a double-header April 17 against Indiana and Chicago State. Each match is set to be outside, if weather permits.

The Boilermakers are 4-4 on the road and will go against a team who knows how to defend its home court — the Hawks are 7-3 at the HTRC.

Both the Boilermakers and Hawkeyes have struggled this season in conference play, with the Hawkeyes at 1-6 and Boilermakers 2-5. Each team will be looking to improve its overall performance in the conference this Friday.

Each team will be looking to put an end to poor performance lately, with the Hawkeyes currently on a two-match losing streak and the Boilermakers on a three- match skid.

Not only is Friday the start of the Hawkeyes last stretch of home games, but it is also Senior Day, where Hawkeye Dominic Patrick will be honored as he plays his last game in the HTRC.

“I don’t have any emotions about it right now. It’s been a good season so far and if we can cap off this weekend with a couple wins it’ll make it a really good year,” Patrick said in a release.

After Friday’s matchup with Purdue, Iowa will play its fourth Big Ten opponent in a row with Indiana coming to town for the first game of the double-header, set to begin at 12 p.m.

The Hoosiers (7-14) come into April 17’s matchup on a two-match winning streak, but have only won one game on the road this season. Even though the Hoosiers have only won seven games, they have three wins in the last four weeks. Two of those wins are against Big Ten opponents Michigan State and Penn State, whom the Hawkeyes have struggled with.

Before the Hoosiers travel to Iowa City they will play Nebraska on Friday, an opponent the Hawkeyes lost 4-3 earlier in the season.

In the Hawkeyes last home match of the season they will host Chicago State (2-19) at 5 p.m. The Cougars are currently on a nine-match losing streak and also are 0-11 on the road this season.