Normally, this weekend’s tennis match would be important for sentimental reasons. This year, the No. 7 Illinois men’s tennis team faces a must-win situation if it still wants a shot at a share of the conference title after losing to Ohio State last weekend, snapping an 86-match conference winning streak.

“We need to get back on track and really stay focused and keep moving forward,” said Illinois assistant coach Kent Kinnear.

The Illini have proved their resiliency before, following losses at Texas and Texas A&M; with two wins.

This weekend should be no different, said Illinois sophomore Ryan Rowe, who believes the team is expecting good matches and to bounce back from their earlier losses.

On Sunday former Illinois associate head coach Bruce Berque and former Illini Michael Kosta, who played for the Illini from 1999-2002, return to the Atkins Tennis Center on Sunday at noon when Michigan comes to town.

Berque became the 14th head coach of the Michigan tennis program in the summer of 2004. Kosta is the Wolverines assistant coach. It is the first time Illinois has hosted Michigan in a dual match since the former Illini took over.

Three current Illini -seniors Pramod Dabir, Ryler DeHeart and junior GD Jones – were on teams Berque coached, including the 2003 team that won the NCAA team title and produced the NCAA singles champion and the NCAA doubles champions.

“It will be good to see Bruce (Berque) again,” said Dabir, who still keeps in contact with the former Illini leader.

Since Berque took over the Michigan program, the Wolverines have climbed in the rankings, despite having a relatively young team. The team was in the top 30 earlier this season and now sit at the No. 35 spot.

Both Michigan and Illinois enter the weekend with 4-1 Big Ten records. The Wolverines, led by 44th-ranked singles player Matko Maravic, are 10-7 overall. The Wolverines also feature Brian Hung, who is a two-time Big Ten Player of the Week honoree this season.

More impressive than Michigan’s singles lineup is the Wolverines powerful doubles roster. Hung and Maravic are the nation’s 11th-ranked doubles team. If the Wolverines get out to an early lead, there could be trouble for the Illini, who have a poor record if they lose the doubles point.

“Winning the doubles point will be very important because the doubles point has dictated how the matches have gone,” Kinnear said.

The Illinois lineup features No.3-ranked DeHeart and a slew of other top-100 players including Jones, Rowe and sophomore Kevin Anderson though, and hope to neutralize the Wolverines early on.

“We lost focus a little bit earlier in the season,” Dabir said. “But we’re ready to get back on track right now.”

The Illini will open the weekend against Michigan State, Illinois head coach Brad Dancer’s alma mater.

Michigan State is unranked and have an overall record of 7-12. They are 1-4 in Big Ten competition. Dancer said he knows the Spartans will be well-prepared when it comes to the Atkins Tennis Center at noon on Saturday.

“Everyone seems to get up to play Illinois,” Dancer said.