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Feb. 27, 2003

WACO, Texas - The Baylor men's tennis team will return home this weekend to face two ranked teams. On March 1, the Bears go head-to-head against No. 13 Minnesota at 2 p.m. and then return to action Sunday to battle No. 59 Middle Tennessee at 1 p.m. Both matches will be held at the Baylor Tennis Center.

Baylor is coming off their first loss this season, after facing then-ranked No. 2 Illinois at the USTA/ITA Men's Team Indoor Championship this past weekend. Minnesota has had a two-week hiatus and returns to action Thursday, battling No. 35 Rice, while Middle Tennessee, in their recent match, defeated Chattanooga 5-2.

This weekend, the Gophers and Blue Raiders bring a loaded arsenal of talent. For Minnesota, No. 41 Thomas Haug is scheduled to battle the nation's top-ranked singles player, Baylor's Benedikt Dorsch. The two met earlier this season with Dorsch prevailing in three sets. Dorsch is 30-2 this year and also needed three sets to beat the Golden Gophers' Chris Wettengel earlier this season. Other ranked players for the Gophers are No. 93 Aleksey Zharinov and doubles team No. 30 Manuel Lievano and Clay Estes. No. 4 senior Daniel Klementz will represent the Blue Raiders in this weekend's dual match.

The last time Baylor faced Minnesota, in 1998, the Bears suffered a 4-1 loss to the Gophers. As for the Blue Raiders, this will be Baylor's and Middle Tennessee's first ever meeting.