IU to host 2 conference opponents this weekend

While brackets are being decided and office pools are taking shape, the No. 32 IU women’s tennis team is beginning its own March Madness as it takes on two Big Ten opponents this weekend.\nAfter a 4-3 road victory over No. 31 Ohio State, and a 5-2 win over Maryland – their first outdoor match of the year – the Hoosiers are coming back to Bloomington for their first two home matches in three weeks against No. 43 Iowa and No. 49 Minnesota.\nWhile the team credits the road trip for improving team chemistry and its record, junior Sigrid Fischer is glad to play on a familiar court.\n“It’s good to be at home,” Fischer said. “It was good to go away because we hadn’t had any away matches, but \nobviously it’s good to be at home and have your crowd – maybe get some audience to clap for us and not against us.”\nFreshman Charlotte Martin said playing each match on different days will be a big difference.\n“Although we might wake up a little bit sore on Sunday, playing two in one day is so tough,” Martin said. “Mentally, it’s tough to keep concentration, let alone physically. It makes a big difference.”\nWhile the team is geared up to play two Big Ten matches, junior Alba Berdala also said she is excited to play two highly ranked teams.\n“I think (that because Iowa and Minnesota are ranked) that gives us more feeling to win,” Berdala said. “Right now we’re looking at our rankings and we want to improve on them. If we see they are ranked, we get more points if we beat them. That gives us extra motivation to win. It’s not the most important thing, the rankings, but they definitely give you confidence. I’m excited now.”\nHowever, Martin pointed out that while rankings show how strong a team is, each match \nis different.\n“Obviously you take rankings into consideration,” Martin sad. “It gives you a bit of an idea of what the team’s going to be like. But at the end of the day, each match is different and it just depends on the day. You could beat someone really good or lose to someone really low. Rankings don’t always mean everything. You’ve just got to take each one as it comes and go from there.”\nWhile the players look at the rankings, IU coach Lin Loring is looking ahead to possibly competing in the NCAA Championships in May.\n“The biggest thing is we just need to keep beating Big Ten teams,” Loring said. “At this point in the season, it’s all about getting into the NCAA Tournament. We just need to stay on-track.”\nAfter their successful road trip, Fischer said the players are ready to prove themselves again.\n“I think we’re all ready to kick some butt,” Fischer said. “We all want to win. We’ve had a couple days off, which was relaxing, and we got caught up on schoolwork. I think we’re ready to work and show them. We’re ready to compete.”\nIU will play Iowa at 11 a.m. on Saturday and Minnesota at 11 a.m. on Sunday. Both matches will take place at the IU Tennis Center.