IU wins 4 individual titles, 2 double in Super Challenge

The Western Michigan Super Challenge was the IU women’s tennis team’s last chance in the fall season to figure out where it stacks up against its competition.

The Hoosiers had success in both their singles and doubles draws early in the tournament and never looked back. IU was 7-1 in its singles matches and a perfect 6-0 in doubles play on Friday.

Five women made the championship match of their singles draw and four of them were the champions of their respective flights.

On her way to the championship round, senior Leslie Hureau defeated Marquette’s Erin Gebes 6-0, 6-0 and No. 106 Jennifer Kellner of Notre Dame 7-5, 6-3. Hureau won the top flight by besting Louisville’s No. 120 Julia Fellerhoff 6-1, 6-4.

Sophomore Katie Klyczek narrowly won her matches in the third draw against Bowling Green’s Emily Reuland 7-5, 7-6 (4) and Louisville’s Manuela Velasquez 6-7 (6), 7-6 (5), 1-0 (9). She defeated DePaul’s Ana Vladutu in straight sets 7-5, 6-2.

Junior Sophie Garre won her way to the final match of the No. 4 singles draw after topping Meghan Cassens of Iowa State 6-2, 6-0 and Notre Dame’s Molly O’Koniewski 4-6, 6-2, 1-0 (8). Garre battled against DePaul’s Jarret Fisher but lost in the final match tiebreaker 6-4, 6-7 (2), 1-0 (14).

Sophomore Shannon Murdy represented IU in the championship match of the No. 5 singles draw thanks to wins against Iowa State’s Jenna Langhorst 6-2, 4-6, 1-0 (4) and Penn State’s Jacqueline Zuhse 7-6 (11), 6-2. Murdy won the singles title for her flight by knocking off DePaul’s Rebeca Mitrea 6-3, 7-5.

In the No. 7 singles draw, senior Jithmie Jayawickrema bested Bowling Green’s Katie Grubb 6-3, 6-3 and Marquette’s Aleeza Kanner 7-5, 6-3 en route to the championship match. She won the final 6-1, 6-2 against Kelsey King of Western Michigan.

Two IU pairings won their doubles draws. Sophomore Carolyn Chupa and Klyczek claimed the title in the No. 2 doubles draw by defeating Maddy Eccleston/Grubb of Bowling Green 8-6, Simona Cacciutolo/Ksenia Pronina of Iowa State 8-5, and Notre Dame’s Quinn Gleason/Rachael White.

Two Hoosier sophomores, Alecia Kauss and Murdy, won the No. 3 doubles draw. They took care of business in their opening match against Cassens/Caroline Andersen of Iowa State by winning 8-0. The pair won in the next two rounds 8-3 against Penn State’s Zuhse/Katherine Whiteaway and DePaul’s Zaina Sufi/Vladutu.

“It was a really great tournament performance for us,” Loring said in an email. “More important than the wins was the way we competed. We played hard and played to win. We have shown a lot of improvement the last three weeks.”

The IU women’s tennis team resumes competition Jan. 11, 2013, when it hosts the three-day adidas IU Winter Invitational.