Invitational postponed

The women's golf team had high hopes for their season debut at the Mary Fossum Invitational this weekend in East Lansing, Michigan. But in the aftermath of Tuesday's national tragedy and the wake of IU's across-the-board cancellation of all weekend athletic events, those hopes -- at least temporarily -- have been put on hold. \n"We're really wanting to play, because we've worked hard and it's time to go out there and see how we compare to other teams," junior Cara Stuckey said prior to the athletic department's decision. "We're ready to play, but if it does get canceled, we'll just move on to the next tournament." \nAlthough the tournament has been postponed, junior Mary Lidester said she didn't see any problems forthcoming.\n"I don't think it'll disrupt us at all," she said, hours before official word came from the Athletic Department. \n"If they do cancel it, coach told us everybody else out there has lost life, family members and it's kind of a small thing for us to take as that disappointing," she said.\nSophomore Karen Dennison said she saw it differently.\n"I think it would disrupt us a lot because we're really excited and ready to go," Dennison said. "We're really looking forward to going, so I think it'd be kind of disappointing if we didn't get to go."\nHead coach Sam Carmichael said before the athletic department made their conclusion that the team would abide by whatever decision was handed down. \n"Certainly, it would disappoint us a lot," he said. "They're ready to play. They're ready to come out of the gate and play. They're anxious to compete, but we'll just have to try and find something else to play in and accept that whatever they decide for us to do, we'll do. But the kids are ready to play. They want to play with the tournament flag up and see how they're doing."\nThe team said it had been heading into the tournament with an optimistic outlook. \n"We've got a good team going and I think there's going to be some good competition there," Dennison said before learning of the cancelation. "Everybody knows we're going to be good, and they're going to be gunning for us, but I think we could win it."\nThe Hoosiers had intended to head into the tournament with a lineup including Dennison, Lidester, Stuckey, sophomore Danah Ford, and senior captain Tiffany Fisher. Furthermore, sophomore Ambry Bishop had been slated to compete individually.\nThe team will also have to wait another week to see what kind of improvement their new state-of-the-art, short game practice facility will have on their tournament play. \n"I don't know if the facility will have an immediate impact, but I've already improved my wedge game. Everybody really enjoys it and it's a lot of fun to practice on," Lidester said. \nBut the cancelation has forced at least a delay of those plans, meaning the Hoosiers will have to prepare for next weekend's Northern Invitational in Champagne, Ill. \n"Going into any tournament, as a team we're looking to win it. We have confidence in each other as teammates," Stuckey said.