The doubles point. It's the first chance to get on the scoreboard during a tennis match. It can define the tone for the players and even impact a team's performance for the remainder of the match.

All season, this crucial element to the game has plagued the No. 41 Penn State men's tennis team. Whether the reason has been a slow start, opening-match jitters, or simply a higher level of talent on the other side of the court, the Nittany Lions (15-4, 5-3 Big Ten) have struggled to capture this coveted point.

In the midst of their longest losing streak of the season, the Lions will attempt to end their two-game skid, as they will serve as host for two matches this weekend. No. 3 Ohio State will come into University Park today at 3, and No. 64 Indiana will visit the Lions Sunday at 11 a.m. Both matches will take place at the Sarni Tennis Center.

"Ohio State is going to be our toughest match this season," senior co-captain Bradley Hunter said. "If we are able to beat them, it would be an extremely signature win for us. It would definitely give us the confidence we need to head into the Big Ten Championships."

If the Lions can pull off arguably the biggest upset of their season, or take at least one match this weekend, they will surpass last season's number of wins in the Big Ten, with six. To do that, they will have to come out of the gate with a high level of energy and intensity in order to capture the doubles point.

In all four of its losses this season, Penn State has failed to win the doubles point, an issue that Hunter admits is becoming harder and harder to fix.

"During practice, we always seem to show the confidence I know we have," he said. "We just never are able to carry that momentum over into the matches. It gets pretty frustrating. If there's a situation where we are able to earn the point, we need to be able to seize the opportunity."

While bringing high levels of intensity and emotion is important to Penn State's success, head coach Todd Doebler knows that it will take more than dedication to defeat a top-five team in Ohio State, but a win is necessary to help his Lions get back on the winning track.

"We face a very big challenge this weekend," Doebler said. "Coach [Ty] Tucker and the Buckeyes are one of the best teams in the country because of their talent level and toughness."

Although most of the focus this weekend has been put on the matchup with Ohio State, the Hoosiers come to Penn State with the recent edge against the Lions. Indiana won, 6-1, last season in Happy Valley and has won four consecutive contests since 2002.

Hunter confesses that winning or losing the doubles point does not necessarily decide the outcome of the match, but that there is nothing better than using that early momentum to try and bring home the win.

"I'm going to go out there and just be as positive as I can be," he said. "One or two points in a match can be the difference, and we need to be able to dig down and earn the victory."