The Wildcat men's tennis team, which moved up another spot in the rankings to No. 24, takes on Arizona State tomorrow. Arizona (10-6, 0-2) has won its last two matches against Ball State and Clemson in dominating fashion as it looks to do more of the same against the Sun Devils.
"We beat a pretty good team in Clemson, and we're gelling as a team," said senior captain Tom Lloyd.
Arizona State comes into Tucson ranked 34th with a 5-7 record, but the Sun Devils have an impressive win to their credit, against No. 2 UCLA. ASU has struggled in its seven losses, gaining just five points, but the Devils hope to improve their record against the Wildcats, who hold a 51-34 edge in the all-time series.
"We're looking to beat these guys," Lloyd said. "The cross-state rivalry is always the best."
ASU's top player is No. 93 Chris Stewart, who will likely face No. 64 Roger Matalonga. Matalonga, who will be looking for his 20th win of the season, comes into the weekend 19-3, including 13-3 in the spring. If the sophomore reaches the 20-win plateau, he will be following in the footsteps of senior Whi Kim, who accomplished that feat in 2001 and 2002.
The Wildcats' top-25 ranking has boosted their confidence, Lloyd said.
"As a team, we've been really good, and had a lot of potential," Lloyd said. "This is the first year we've been able to put together a string of wins, so the committee and the computer system has shown us a little more respect."
Arizona bounced back from losses to UCLA and Southern California to regain its winning ways, but those losses have helped the Wildcats in their preparation.
"We had a tough road trip to Southern California, and I think it gave the guys a wake-up call to treat every match with 100 percent intensity," said assistant coach Tad Berkowitz. "The guys came out ready to play over the weekend, and I think that gives them a little bit of confidence going into the ASU game. They're treating this match like it's one of the most important matches of the year for us. We're playing our in-state rival at home."
The match is the only one of the weekend for Arizona, allowing the team to focus solely on the Devils.
"The guys know that they can give everything they have knowing that they do have some time off," Berkowitz said.