Men’s tennis will travel to East Lansing to take on the Big Ten Conference powerhouse Michigan State University.

The 3-8 Panthers defeated IUPUI to snap a seven match losing streak and have a tough battle ahead with the 9-4 Spartans.

Freshman Warren Race thinks the key for a win will be intensity and mind set.

“We have been working on keeping our intensity up and keeping our mental attitude up,” Race said.

The team’s mentality is set heading into this match.

“We feel pretty good coming off a win in the last match and feel like we have the momentum on our side,” Race said.

Michigan State also won against IUPUI beating them 6-1 at its home court in East Lansing.

Senior Jeff Rutherford will lead the Panthers on the courts.

Rutherford has been on a hot streak lately, winning his last two matches against Bradley’s Milos Romic 6-4, 7-6, (2-0) and IUPUI’s Deon Shafer, besting him in straight sets 6-0, 6-2.

Freshman Justin Haag will look to win again after dropping his singles match to IUPUI’s Joel Modesitt 6-4, 3-6, 6-10.

Haag leads the team in wins this year, sitting at a record of 8-3.

Rutherford and Haag hope to continue their strong play on the doubles court, as they sit at a record of 3-2 as a duo.

They have won their last two doubles matches as a team.

The action will start at 9 am Saturday in East Lansing.

Dane Urban can be reached

at 581-7944 or DENnewsdesk@gmail.com

Junior Cara Huck returns a shot during her doubles match against IUPUI Wednesday afternoon at Darling Courts. (Amir Prellberg / The Daily Eastern News)

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