With 14 consecutive Big Ten losses staring them in the face, the Penn State men's tennis team (7-9 0-4 Big Ten) is faced with yet another formidable challenge: Win not only one Big Ten match but two, on back-to-back days.

Both Michigan and Michigan State will be in town this weekend and both are ranked in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association top 75.

The Nittany Lions, however, are welcoming the challenge.

"It's two opportunities to get a win," junior Matt Frakes said. "We have the same mindset that we had in every other match, to just play to our capability and have everybody show up."

The team is certain that its Big Ten plight has a lot to do with the fact that the team rarely clicks on all cylinders.

In order for Penn State to win they need all six players playing well.

"We need everybody to play well," sophomore Todd Stecko said.

"We need to start off with having everybody being accountable in doubles and after that we only need three wins in singles."

Stecko said it's simple arithmetic: once they win the doubles point they only need three more points, and he feels senior captain Jamie Gresh gives them an automatic advantage.

"Jamie can beat anybody in the Big Ten," Stecko said.

The first team that the Nittany Lions will face is No. 30 Michigan. The Wolverines are coming off a huge victory against No. 8 Notre Dame and will be carrying that momentum into tomorrow's match.

Assistant coach Bill Potoczny said his team needs to be aggressive.

"We're going to have to return serve very well because both teams are very aggressive," he said.

Potoczny agrees that in order for the Lions to win everybody has to show up.

"We've had matches where two guys or three guys play well," he said, "but we have yet to have a match where all six singles and doubles play up to their capability."

Things will not get easier on Sunday as No. 66 Michigan State will be waiting, and although the Spartans aren't ranked as high, Potoczny does not want to take them lightly.

"Michigan is probably the better team but they're both very good," he said.

The Lions are aware that they will be the underdog in both matches but aren't about to let that deter them.

"We're going in with the mind-set that's it's going to be a dog fight," Frakes said.