The Terrapins men's tennis team will begin a three-game home stretch today against what may be its toughest opponent all season: ACC rival and second-ranked Virginia.
The 41st-ranked Terps (1-3) begin match play against the Cavaliers (4-0) this afternoon at the Tennis Courts at College Park.
The Terps are returning to play a week after the ITA Kick-Off Weekend in Austin, Texas, where they went winless in matches against No. 15 Texas and No. 31 Michigan.
Coach Kyle Spencer said he was confident in his team's ability to play well today against Virginia.
"We are looking forward to playing Virginia," Spencer said. "They are a tough team to beat and always ranked very high. We are used to playing a tough schedule and this year is no different."
The Cavaliers bring three players ranked in singles — including the top-ranked player in the nation, Mitchell Frank — and four ranked doubles teams led by the 13th-ranked pair, Philippe Oudshoorn and Justin Shane.
While Virginia has ample star power, the Terps also have three ranked players of their own this season: Freshman Vlad Stefan is No. 121 nationally for singles, while doubles teammates Maros Horny and John Collins are ranked No. 36 in the country.
Against a talented Cavaliers squad, Spencer said today's matchup is as much a measuring stick as it is a lesson plan for the Terps.
"Every match, you learn something new: You learn what you do well as team, and what you need to work on," he said. "At four matches into the season that's hard to determine, but we are continuing to get better with each outing."
sports@umdbk.com
is a member of the 
Be the first to comment on this article! Log in to Comment
You must be logged in to comment on an article. Not already a member? Register now