Indiana women’s tennis split its matches Friday and Sunday against Rutgers and Maryland on the road. The Hoosiers came from behind against the Scarlet Knights, giving them another Big Ten win in what has become one of Indiana’s best seasons in years.
Against Rutgers on Friday, Indiana started slow in the doubles series after the duo of junior Elisabeth Dunac and freshman Ameia Sorey dropped the No. 2 doubles match 6-2.
Junior Chase Boyer and senior Nicole Teodosescu then won the doubles three match 6-3 , tying up the doubles series and sending the deciding point to doubles one. Freshmen Hi’ilani Williams and Alessandra Teodosescu battled hard but ultimately dropped their match 6-4, giving Rutgers an early 1-0 lead.
Facing a 1-0 deficit, the Hoosiers looked to find their footing in the singles matches. Dunac got the team off to a strong start, winning the singles three match in straight sets 6-1, 6-2, to tie the match at one.
Williams continued the Hoosiers' momentum in singles play, winning the No. 5 singles match in straight sets 6-4, 6-2, giving the Hoosiers their first lead of the match.
Sophomore Nicole Sifuentes extended the Hoosiers’ lead, winning No. 6 singles 7-6, 6-4. Alessandra Teodosescu dropped the No. 1 singles match 2-6, 6-1, 6-4, allowing the Scarlet Knights to get within one point of Indiana at 3-2. Heading into the sixth point, the Hoosiers looked to close the match and shut down any hopes of a Rutgers comeback.
Sorey secured the match point for the Hoosiers in the No. 2 singles match, winning 6-3, 3-6, 6-3. The results gave the Hoosiers their third win in Big Ten play. Indiana previously defeated then-No. 64 Minnesota on March 15 and then-No. 45 Iowa on March 27.
Against No. 40 Maryland on Sunday, Williams and Alessandra Teodosescu dropped the No. 1 doubles match 6-0, and Dunac and Sorey dropped the No. 2 doubles match 6-1, giving Maryland an early 1-0 lead.
Indiana started the singles series on the right foot, as Dunac picked up the win in No. 3 singles 6-3, 6-3. However, the Terrapins stopped the Hoosiers’ momentum right away, as Sorey dropped No. 2 singles 6-3, 6-4.
Maryland dominated the remainder of the match. Sifuentes dropped No. 6 singles 6-4, 7-5, and Alessandra Teodosescu dropped No. 1 singles 7-6 (7-3), 6-4, giving Maryland a 4-1 win.
With the split this weekend, the Hoosiers now sit at 13-8 overall with a 3-6 record in Big Ten play. Indiana will now head home to take on Penn State at noon Saturday and Ohio State at 2:30 p.m. Sunday.
