60 // VARSITY February 20, 2014
INSIDE
TENNIS
Youth leading Wisconsin
through early stages
Men and women feature sophomore standouts
BY PATRICK HERB // @BADGERWTENNIS @BADGERMTENNIS
T
he Wisconsin women's
tennis team (3-1) will
take to the road this
weekend for the first time
since a season-opening win at
Marquette. The Badgers will
be in Des Moines, Iowa, to face
Creighton (2-4) at noon on
Saturday and Drake (3-1) at
11 a.m. on Sunday.
The Badgers will continue
to lean on sophomore Lauren
Chypyha, who opened the sea-
son ranked No. 19 in the ITA
Midwest Regional rankings.
"Chyps," as she is known to
the team, leads the Badgers
with an undefeated dual re-
cord of 4-0. She has dropped
just two total sets this spring.
Last weekend, Chypyha
notched her first ranked win of
the season when she knocked
off No. 89-ranked Rebecca
Shine of No. 63 Louisville, 6-4,
3-6, 6-4.
Last year, Chypyha led the Badgers
with 14 singles wins, including four in
conference play.
• • • •
With just two upperclassmen, the Wis-
consin men's roster is one of the young-
est in the Big Ten. That hasn't stopped
head coach Greg Van Emburgh from
challenging his squad early in the sea-
son, however.
When the UW men's team (4-3) hosts
No. 54 Denver this Sunday, it will mark
the Badgers' fifth ranked opponent in
eight matches.
Wisconsin's resume already boasts a
win over 70th-ranked Tulane, thanks in
large part to the efforts of sophomores
Johnnie Jalalov (4-1) and Oskar Wikberg
(4-2) as well as freshman Elliott Sprech-
er (3-0).
"For Sprecher to be able to come back,
he just fought, fought, fought. Wikberg
did the same and he was down a break
(against SMU)," Van Emburgh added. "It
just shows you right now that if these
guys play with that type of heart and that
type of determination, we're going to be
able to win a lot of tennis matches."
SCHEDULE
LAST TIME OUT: MEN
Feb. 15 #42 Drake L, 0-4
Feb. 16 SMU W, 4-2
COMING UP: MEN
Sunday #54 Denver 2 p.m.
Feb. 26 Marquette Noon
LAST TIME OUT: WOMEN
Feb. 14 Louisville L, 2-5
Feb. 16 Dartmouth 10 a.m.
COMING UP: WOMEN
Saturday vs. Creighton Noon
Sunday at Drake 11 a.m.
