No. 32 Hoosiers start '06 season with pair of MAC opponents

After a fall that earned them the nation's No. 32 overall ranking, the 2006 IU women's tennis team will open up its spring season with a double-header against two Mid-American Conference foes at the Varsity Tennis Center Sunday.\nThe Hoosiers will face Miami University of Ohio at 9:30 a.m. in the opening match.\n"It'll be a good first match for us," IU coach Lin Loring said. "If we play up to capabilities we win that match."\nThe team will then take on Western Michigan University at 2:30 p.m. in the afternoon match. The Mustangs defeated four Big Ten teams last year and qualified for the NCAA tournament.\n"That's definitely going to be the tougher of the two matches," Loring said. "The team that plays the best is going to win that match."\nSenior captain Sarah Batty and junior Laura McGaffigan head a talented lineup composed of a balance between experienced and newer players.\nBatty, an All-American and All-Big Ten selection, accumulated six wins in the fall including one against a ranked opponent. The Chesterfield, England native will enter competition ranked No. 98 nationally and with the now-or-never mentality of a senior.\n"I'm really looking forward to this season," Batty said. "It's my last year, so hopefully everything will go well. I'm confident we have a great team."\nMcGaffigan will take the court sporting her first national ranking in singles, listed at No. 100. As a three-year starter, she and Batty will compete in doubles to form what could be one of the toughest duos in the nation. The pair took home the Intercollegiate Tennis Association's Summer National Championship last year and won seven matches in the fall. They will begin the season listed at No. 37. Junior Cecile Perton and sophomore Brianna Williams round out the core of experienced players.\nFour freshmen are expected to solidify the lineup including Spain native Alba Berdala who won the Flight A singles crown of the Bronco Invitational last September. \n"We have a lot of freshman, and they're all so good," McGaffigan said. "I think our team will have a lot of depth this year."\nLast season, the Hoosiers finished third in the Big Ten with an 8-3 record and an overall record of 14-12. This season looks to tell a similar tale as No. 6 Northwestern appears to be the team to beat with a host of schools dueling for second. The Wildcats have won six Big Ten titles in the last seven seasons and feature two singles players ranked in the top 25.\nThe team must play to its full potential if it hopes to compete for the Big Ten title, Loring said.\n"Every close match that could be won the last two years we won," he said. "That's why the last two teams did so well. This team is going to be in a similar situation"