After a disappointing loss in the quarterfinal round of the ITA National Team Indoor Championship to No. 2 Georgia in Seattle, the Longhorns have been on a roll.
No. 5 Texas has beaten three ranked opponents over the past two weeks and is looking to push that record to four, as the Longhorns hit the road Friday to take on top-ranked Virginia at the Boyd Tinsley Courts at the Boar's Head Sports Club in Charlottesville, Va.
The No. 1 Cavaliers haven't lost a match this season, winning the first national championship in ACC men's tennis history at the ITA National Team Indoor Championship in Seattle, but the Longhorns will enter Friday's contest as Virginia's highest-ranked opponent so far this season.
The top 5 showdown is set to begin indoors at 5 p.m. Central, yet by ITA and NCAA rule, every attempt must be made to play a match outdoors before it can be moved inside.
By definition, collegiate tennis is an outdoor sport. The rule states that the temperature must be 50 degrees or higher for at least two of the four hours prior to the scheduled time with no precipitation in order for it to be played outside. Friday's forecast gives a high of 50 degrees with a 50 percent chance of rain.
The Longhorns (10-1) look to claim their 11th win of the season with four ITA top 100 singles players leading the way. Freshman Kellen Damico comes in ranked No. 18 while freshman Ed Corrie sits at the No. 24 spot. Sophomore Dimitar Kutrovsky is ranked No. 54 and senior Luis Diaz Barriga ranks 88th.
The Cavaliers are not in short supply of talent. Virginia senior Somdev Devvarman is currently the No. 1 player in the nation and half of the top-ranked doubles team alongside teammate Trent Huey. The Cavaliers also have two other Top 100 players and another Top 20 doubles pair.
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