IU dominates Hoosier Classic

The IU women’s tennis team got off to a fast start by dominating the competition at the annual Hoosier Invitational.

The consistent yet unpredictable rain didn’t seem to bother the Hoosiers as each of their eight competitors won at least one singles match and two doubles matches this weekend.

Freshman Leslie Hureau may have been the most impressive Hoosier.

She finished 7-0 in the tournament by defeating all three of her singles opponents and teaming up with junior Myriam Sopel to win four straight doubles matches.

Three of the four IU doubles teams advanced to the Final Four, but didn’t play it out because IU coach Lin Loring did not want two of his teams to play against one another.

The Hoosiers finished 12-3 overall in doubles play.

“I was especially impressed with our doubles,” Loring said. “We can definitely hold on to these combinations.”

The same situation occurred in two of the three singles brackets. In both the IU and Hoosier flights, players from the same team were scheduled to play each other, so Loring and his tournament committee manipulated the bracket.

“The fall tournaments are all about playing matches,” Loring said. “We want our players to play against as much competition as possible.”

The third singles flight played out the way it was supposed to as IU senior Lindsey Stuckey advanced to the championship. However, she lost to LSU’s Ebie Wilson in straight sets, 6-1, 6-3.

Junior Charlotte Martin, who was slated to play Hureau in the final of the Hoosier flight, was also 3-0 in singles competition on the weekend.

Loring was pleased with his team’s play and said he is excited about the possibilities the 2009-10 season may bring.

“Overall, it was a very good tournament for us against solid competition from BCS conferences,” Loring said. “We are way ahead of where we were last year at this time. Our goal now will be to keep improving from here.”