The Illinois men’s tennis team has not had to rebound from a mid-season loss since 2002 – that changes this weekend.

The No. 3 Illini begin the Big Ten season at Penn State on Saturday. It marks the first time the team has played since its 4-3 semifinal loss against Baylor at the United States Tennis Association/ Intercollegiate Tennis Association (USTA/ITA) National Indoor Men’s Team Championships last weekend.

Despite its recent loss, the team is confident that it will respond well.

“There will be no letdown,” said Illinois freshman Ruben Gonzales. “We are all really motivated right now, and we’re working hard.”

Gonzales is looking forward to beginning his first Big Ten season and getting the chance to take on the Nittany Lions. In November, Gonzales defeated Penn State’s James Dwyer to win the consolation title at the Big Ten Singles Championships.

Illinois head coach Craig Tiley said his team is hungry for a victory after their loss, but Penn State will be better than the 2004 incarnation of their roster.

“It’s not going to be an easy task for us because we’re on the road and we’re without several players,” Tiley said.

The Illini will still be without the services of senior Chris Martin, who is recovering from stress fractures. However, the team will bring junior Ryler DeHeart to State College, Pa. DeHeart is the No. 1 player in the nation. Sophomore GD Jones, who is No. 14, and freshman Kevin Anderson, No. 15, are also expected to make an impact this weekend.

“I know we’re going to play well against them and go out there and do what we need to do,” DeHeart said. “But I think it’s a good match for us to make a statement as far as bouncing back from a loss and seeing how our team reacts to losing.”

Despite coming off a long road trip to the USTA/ITA National Indoor Men’s Team Championships, the Illini are excited to begin another road trip. This trip will mark the beginning of its longest stint away from the Atkins Tennis Center this year. Illinois will not play at home again until April.

Freshman Brandon Davis is taking the time away from his home courts in stride. Davis said it is important for the team to get back to its winning ways to prepare for the NCAA Championships at the end of the year and that being on the road for so long will help the men prepare for that tournament. The final rounds of the NCAA Championships will be held at Texas A & M in May.

“It’s not as exciting as playing at home because at home we have so many fans,” Davis said. “On the road, you just have to make your own excitement and get the job done. You have to start somewhere, so we’re going to start this weekend.”

All of the Illini are looking forward to seeing the improvements they have made since the last time they played. Tiley said the team’s loss has helped them see weaknesses in each individual’s game. DeHeart said that the men are dedicated to improving these before the end of the season.

The path to improvement and the team’s next trip to a national tournament start this weekend. The Illini said they are ready – even if the match does signify the start of their longest road trip of the year.

“I like going into other people’s places and wreaking havoc,” DeHeart said. “Playing at home is obviously great and exciting, but it is also fun to go to other crowds and shut them down.”