Irish seek perfection
By JOE LINDSLEY
Sports Writer
The seventh-ranked Notre Dame men's tennis team is just one match away from achieving an unblemished record at home this season.
A win over 16th-ranked Kentucky on Saturday would make this season's Irish squad the first to go undefeated at the Eck Tennis Pavilion since the 1992 team accomplished that same feat as they advanced to the NCAA final.
Kentucky poses a hurdle to that potentially perfect home record, though.
The Wildcats, who were ranked as high as fourth earlier in the season, own a 16-8 record and have defeated top 10 teams such as Tennessee and Mississippi.
But they have struggled recently, losing four of their past five matches.
"I have a lot of respect for them," Irish senior Javier Taborga said. "I think they have one of the best teams in the nation, they just under-achieved this year big time. I think it is going to be a war because they need to win to stay in the top 16 and we need to win to host the region."
"We both need to win real bad for what we want to do," he said.
Fellow senior and doubles teammate Casey Smith agreed.
"Kentucky is a very talented team," Smith said. "They've been down a little bit lately. Whenever your back is against the wall, you're going to come out fighting."
The Irish were down a little bit earlier in the season, but after going through that brief slump, the team has come out stronger and more cognizant of their vulnerabilities.
"I think the team has been playing a lot better. I have seen the level improving, and in practice we are all aware that we cannot have any more Michigan matches," said Taborga, in reference to Notre Dame's upset loss to No. 46 Michigan.
Notre Dame's main weakness has been its doubles play, but with a new lineup on Saturday and after successful practices this week, the Irish are not worried.
"For awhile, we kind of got down," Smith said. "Practices weren't as intense as they should have been. It is tough to keep that level up competition up the entire season. We just went through a little valley and I think we're ready to peak again."
Taborga feels the Irish have the potential to exploit some key disadvantages Kentucky bears. The key for Notre Dame is to capitalize on those opportunities.
"We want to play them outdoors," he said. "We are in better shape than they are and outdoors you get more of a work-out than indoors."
Additionally, Kentucky's travel schedule could aid the Irish. The Wildcats will be getting into South Bend the same day as the match and only a day after hosting Vanderbilt.
"We have to take advantage of that," Taborga said.
Notre Dame hopes that the home court advantage will play a role also.
"In the past years, we've struggled at home," Taborga said. "It's nice to know that finally we are realizing that we have to [maximize] the home court advantage. Not many people come out [to cheer on the team], but the people that do come have been great supporters."
The Irish are forcing themselves not to think about undefeated home records and rankings though.
"If we did think about it, then it might jinx us," sophomore Matt Scott said.
Taborga agreed that it is better not to think about rankings.
"It can affect you," he said. "That's not the best thing to do right now. I think we need to keep on concentrating."
Notre Dame's No. 1 player does not apply that advice to himself though.
"I am the only one that is really, really concerned about rankings," Taborga said. "Anyone on the team will tell you that I am a freak because I am on the computer checking out all the other schools and telling people, `If we win this match, we will move ahead.' "
All Sports Stories for Friday, April 12, 2002
