CHRIS CODUTO/Arizona Daily Wildcat Carl Hagman and the UA tennis team try to get get past Cal and Stanford this weekend at home.

Coming off a tough loss at the hands of rival Arizona State, the Arizona men's tennis team looks to end its losing streak this weekend when a pair of high-ranked Northern California programs decends upon Tucson.

No. 6 Stanford and No. 5 California bring their high-powered offenses to UA today and Saturday to face a Wildcat team looking to erase last week's tough loss in Tempe.

This weekend's match-ups will mark the fourth and fifth straight games in which the 50th-ranked Wildcats will face a ranked opponent. Losses to nationally ranked teams ASU, UCLA and Southern California have given Arizona a three-game losing streak.

"The main thing for these guys is to get some wins and to build some confidence," head coach Bill Wright said. "It's an individual game, and if each individual steps up his game, then the team steps up. It's kind of a personal thing."

Stanford brings to Tucson a solid lineup from top to bottom. Three starters for the Cardinal are ranked in the top 50 nationally, most notably No. 19 David Martin. One of the two losses suffered by the Cardinal (7-2) this season came at the hands of the Golden Bears of California (8-1).

"When you're playing anybody in the top 10, the match-ups are not as important as when you're playing a lower-ranked team," Wright said. "When you're playing Stanford and they have six guys that are as good, everybody has got to play very well. If you're looking for a soft spot in the Stanford lineup you're not going to find one. Cal is pretty much the same way. What we will do is go with the guys who have been playing the best the past two weeks."

Wright will start a lineup led by junior Whi Kim in the number one position. Backing the junior from Pueblo, Colorado will be sophomore Paul Warkentin and freshman Roger Matalonga. Boasting an 8-1 record in his first year, Matalonga ordinarily plays out the fifth spot in Wright's rotation.

"Roger is probably playing a little lower than where he needs to be, but we're not going to throw someone in to the lions before they're ready," said Wright of Matalonga's strong play in the first half of the season. "If someone is new to the team, you'd much rather them be 8-1 then 1-8. I could start him at number three, but he wouldn't be 8-1, that's for sure."

Confidence in Matalonga is growing with every match. Wright, in his 16th year coaching UA tennis, hasn't ruled out the possibility of promoting Matalonga in doubles play. Paired with sophomore Colin O'Grady in the number two doubles, the duo has amassed an 8-1 record, reeling off an impressive eight straight wins.

Wright said he is optimistic about his team's odds this weekend while recognizing the task at hand.

"I think Cal and Stanford at full strength, outdoors, are as good as any two teams in the country," Wright said. "Everybody was pretty disheartened after ASU to say the least, but we've had a week off where we didn't have to play any matches. Everybody should bounce back"