IU Coach Lin Loring and Leslie Hureau preview the start of the spring season

By Andy Wittry | IDS Women's Tennis Beat Writer

Posted at 12:05 pm on January 17, 2013 | | | Comments (0)

The Indiana University women’s tennis team will travel to Cincinnati, Ohio this weekend to play its first dual matches of the spring season against Miami (OH) and Cincinnati. The Hoosiers will face the RedHawks on Saturday at 11:00 am, followed by a match against the Bearcats at 4:00 pm.

In the adidas IU Winter Invitational that Indiana hosted last weekend, senior Leslie Hureau injured her wrist and sophomore Shannon Murdy was hit in the head by a volley at the net. As a result of the injuries, the team used eight different doubles combinations during the three-day tournament.

Hureau said that she and Shannon hope to play this weekend against Miami and Cincinnati.

“In the past we have always had to change combinations because we were not that good in doubles and we had to adjust,” Hureau said. “Plus, you never know when people are going to get injured this season and something is going to happen so we have to be ready and try as many combinations as possible before a big match.”

IU Coach Lin Loring said that he will consider the team’s play last semester, the trainer’s injury report as well as the condition of the courts when deciding Indiana’s singles order and doubles combinations. He said that the doubles combinations will probably not change between the matches.

“If we change it, it will probably be because somebody is not one hundred percent and can’t go two matches,” IU Coach Loring said. “We may rotate some kids in singles and we may rotate doubles positions but probably wouldn’t change doubles partners.”

Hureau said that Miami is “a pretty good team” and that Indiana usually wins but typically in “pretty close, pretty tough matches.” She said that the Hoosiers are supposed to win their match against the Bearcats but that they have to take it seriously.

Hureau said that she likes where the team is headed in her final season at IU.

“Of course we still have some adjustments to make because we’ve only had a week of practice but I think we’re in pretty good shape, especially in singles,” she said. “I think we’re ready and we’re still working on some stuff and hopefully we’re going to improve with every match.”

Andy Wittry is a freshman journalism major and Ernie Pyle Scholar at Indiana University. He is the Indiana Daily Student women's tennis beat writer and previously covered the Little 500 Fall Series.

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