IU’s confidence high heading into Sunday

Practice makes perfect.\nAfter achieving a 16-4 record at the Indiana Doubles Invitational, the No. 25 women’s tennis team hopes to repeat its success this Sunday against Western Michigan and Miami University of Ohio. This weekend’s matches will be the team’s first foray in the spring season. \nFreshman Katya Zapadalova said the last tournament boosted the team’s confidence for this weekend.\n“It was good to play a lot of doubles, to have that experience,” Zapadalova said. “It was good to spend time with each other. We made a great job, and now we know our mistakes. We are ready for the other tournaments.”\nIU coach Lin Loring said the team’s confidence stems from past victories against the two teams. But he said the team has room for improvement and development.\n“We’re not where we want to be yet, but we’re rounding into shape,” Loring said.\nOnce again, the team’s youth comes into play as Loring said the Hoosiers’ doubles inexperience affect this weekend’s results.\n“We don’t have many returning doubles team from last year so that definitely hurts us,” Loring said. “Doubles takes a little more of an adjustment than with singles, so it definitely hurts us that we lost half our doubles teams.” \nWhile the rankings suggest IU’s dominance, Loring was cautious as he described IU’s past matches with Western Michigan. \n“We’re going to have to play well because Western Michigan is very good, and we always have good matches with them so we’re expecting a very good match with them,” Loring said. “Miami’s a little unknown, with a new coach and new players.”\nSophomore Lindsey Stuckey said the invitational, while not as challenging as the other matches the team will have this season, assured the team of its strength in competition. \n“It’s good to play with other players, to get the all-around experience,” Stuckey said. “It builds confidence, especially after break.”\nJunior Stephanie Heller echoed her teammates’ thoughts. She said that while team practices have been good, there is no substitute for competing against actual opponents.\n“It’s one thing to play against your teammates,” Heller said. “It helps to be prepared; but playing with other players is different.”\nThe Hoosiers will play best of seven this weekend against each school. The team will play six singles and three doubles matches. Each singles match will count for one point, but the doubles matches will be best of three. Rather than getting one point per doubles match, whichever team wins the two out of three will get the one point. While the singles matches count more, the tie-breaking fourth point could come from doubles.\nBoth teams are from the Mid-American Conference. The Hoosiers will play Western Michigan at 10 a.m. and Miami at 3 p.m. Each match will be held at the IU Tennis Center.