ROCHESTER, Mich. – Summit League play gets underway for the IUPUI women’s tennis team this week as it heads to Rochester, Mich., to compete in the first Summit League cluster of the season.

The Jaguars open the cluster on Thursday, March 28, with a pair of matches against Fort Wayne and Kansas City at 9 a.m. and 2 p.m., respectively. On Friday, March 29, IUPUI squares off against Western Illinois at 2 p.m., before closing the weekend against Oakland on Saturday, March 30, at 9 a.m.

“Starting conference play on the road is always an extra challenge but our goal all season has been to make the conference tournament and that means we need to finish in the top four. We have played a tough non-conference schedule in preparation for this and whether on the road or at home, we have to be ready,” said interim head coach Pat Nickell. “These seniors have not made the postseason and they need to take it upon themselves to lead us. This weekend, we have four matches in three days and start out against the strength of the conference past couple seasons - defending champion IPFW and UMKC - and finish with two improved teams in Oakland and Western Illinois. The march to the Summit begins and we are confident.”

IUPUI has won two of their last three matches to up its overall record to 4-12 entering league play, which includes a split against Marian and Butler last weekend.

The Mastodons enter the weekend with a 15-7 overall mark and a perfect 4-0 Summit League record. The Kangaroos are 5-12 overall and 2-1 in the league, while Western Illinois is 0-12, including 0-4 in the conference. Oakland comes in with a 2-9 mark, and similar to the Jags, it will be playing its first league matches of the season.