Last year, the No. 58 Penn State men's tennis team opened its Big Ten season with a visit from Ohio State. The visitors went on to hand the Nittany Lions one of their worst losses (6-1) of the season.

This time around, the Lions (13-4, 3-4 Big Ten) head to Columbus, looking to even their Big Ten record at 4-4 with a win Sunday.

All they need to do is finally win an elusive doubles point, and let their singles do the rest.

The problem is, the No. 33 Buckeyes (11-6, 3-1) are one of the top teams in the conference, and winning any matches will be hard work for the Lions.

"I don't think we need any extra motivation for Ohio State," Penn State coach Jan Bortner said.

"We know that right now they are ranked in the 30's, but their rankings are not the true tale of how good this team is.

"They're a top-20 team, and obviously a contender for the Big Ten title -- they've got great doubles and outstanding depth, so for our guys this will be a big challenge."

The first challenge, as always, is the doubles point, which the Lions have yet to win in the Big Ten this season. Against the Buckeyes, though, nothing but the best Penn State has to offer will get the job done.

"The doubles is going to be real important, like it is every time," Penn State's No. 1 singles and doubles player Mark Barry (No. 96 in the nation) said. "Their first doubles are No. 1 in the country -- that will be a fight for whoever plays that. But if we can win the doubles point, we'll have at least a chance to win [the match]."

Ohio State's Scott Green and Ross Wilson make up that No. 1 doubles team and the first major obstacle for the Lions.

Last weekend Bortner experimented with the No. 1 and 2 doubles teams, playing Malcolm Scatliffe and Bradley Hunter at No. 1, and Barry and Ryan Berger at No. 2. This week, Bortner said he probably won't know which combinations will take the court for the Lions until tomorrow, the day before the match.

This means all four of those players have to be prepared to play the nation's best duo, on their home court.

While the Lions have relied on their singles play for every conference win this season, they cannot count on picking up four wins against a loaded Buckeye lineup.

Joey Atas, No. 52, and Devin Mullings, No. 53, are both ranked nationally, which should put some pressure on the top singles players for the Lions.

During last weekend's matches with Wisconsin and Northwestern, the Lions got a big boost from their Nos. 3, 5 and 6 singles players -- Berger, Michael James and James Dwyer, respectively -- who all went 2-0 at singles.

On Sunday, they will need the top of their lineup to provide the same kind of spark if they have a chance to win the tough road match.

"We're definitely going to have to step up here," Barry said. "To show our team -- leading by example, if we get a real quick win at No. 1 or No. 2, hopefully it will show them that we're fighting, and it's just a couple more wins and then we can do it."