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(04/07/08 4:38am)
It was a lopsided weekend for the IU women’s tennis team. The No. 28 Hoosiers traveled to Wisconsin, where they defeated the Badgers 7-0, marking their fifth consecutive Big Ten victory.\nTraveling to Northwestern, IU took on the No. 1 Wildcats in a 6-1 loss. \nDespite the loss, the Hoosiers accomplished their main goal this week: beat Wisconsin.\nEven though the score shows the Hoosiers dominated the match, IU coach Lin Loring said the Hoosiers struggled throughout the outdoor match, even dropping behind in some sets.\n“We saw we were able to come back,” Loring said. “Wisconsin was really, really windy. That was another reason why it was good for us to get that match. When it’s that windy it really equalizes talent. I was really pleased we found a way to win.”\nSwitching up their doubles combinations, the Hoosiers won the doubles point. Junior Sigrid Fischer and freshman Myriam Sopel won their match 8-6, while junior Alba Berdala and sophomore Lindsey Stuckey also won their doubles match, 8-4.\nHowever, the Wisconsin match did not come without obstacles. Senior Brianna Williams won a difficult three-setter, defeating Morgan Tuttle 2-6, 6-3, 6-3. Zapadalova won a tight match, beating Emese Kardhordo 6-2, 7-6 (7-1).\nThe rest of the matches came easier for the Hoosiers. Berdala and Stuckey won their matches 6-4, 6-4. Freshman Charlotte Martin defeated Jessica Seyferth 6-3, 6-3, while Fischer won handily 6-3, 6-0.\nLoring said the team is happy it came away with a win against the Badgers.\n“It was really important that we beat anyone who is ranked below us,” Loring said. “It was our first conference match we played outdoors. We’re pretty pleased with the weekend that we got two outdoors matches in.”\nGaining more and experience playing outdoors was good for the Hoosiers, Martin said.\n“That was really good for us especially now we’re playing outside for the rest of the season,” she said. “It gives us so much more confidence now.”\nWhile the Northwestern match resulted in a loss, Martin said the match showed the Hoosiers’ skill level and talent are not far behind their Big Ten rivals.\n“I think it just goes to show we’re not miles and miles behind any team,” Martin said. “We can go and beat teams in the top 25.”\nStuckey also said the team feels more confident after playing the top team in the nation.\n“It was really intimidating at first,” Stuckey said. “Once we figured out that we were competitive in a lot of the matches, we could win. We could gain confidence. They are the No. 1 team in the country, but we could still give them a good match.”\nThe team is also focusing on getting a berth in the NCAA Championships. Stuckey said the team’s play this weekend made the players think they will be assured a spot in the tournament.\n“I think if we stay steady then we’ll be guaranteed in the NCAA,” Stuckey said. “Just playing Northwestern, it was nice to see how we stand against them. If we just stay positive, we have a good shot.\nThe Hoosiers will take on No. 62 Illinois Saturday and unranked Purdue Sunday. Both matches will take place at 11 a.m. at the IU Tennis Center.
(04/04/08 4:28am)
In every athletic season, David must meet Goliath. \nThe No. 28 IU women’s tennis team will compete against the top-ranked team in the country this weekend when it faces off against No. 1 Northwestern.\nThe Hoosiers will take on unranked Wisconsin in Madison before facing the Wildcats in Evanston, Ill.\nThe Wildcats pack a ferocious punch with four ranked players including No. 3 Maria Mosolova and No. 5 Georgia Rose. Northwestern also boasts two ranked doubles pairs, No. 13 Lauren Lui and Samantha Murray as well as the No. 14 combination of Lui and Rose. Murray is also ranked No. 25 individually, while Lui is ranked No. 42.\nFreshman Charlotte Martin said the team has been preparing for tough teams all season, and a major component to competing well is a positive attitude.\n“At this stage (of the season), most of (the preparation) is mental,” Martin said. “We can’t improve our fitness overnight, and when you’re playing a team like them, it’s important that you believe you can win and approach it like any other match.” \nComing off their fourth Big Ten win last weekend, the Hoosiers are hoping more Big Ten wins will lead to a berth in the NCAA Championships. However, Martin said the team is still concentrating on playing one match at a time.\n“Obviously the NCAAs are really important to us,” Martin said. “But we need to stay focused on the job we have to do at the time, and this week it’s to beat Wisconsin and Northwestern. Sometimes if you focus too far ahead, you slip up on the way. It’s important we stay in the present.”\nJunior Alba Berdala said this weekend’s opponent will be a “fun” challenge for the team.\n“The thing with playing the No. 1 team, we have no pressure (on us),” Berdala said.” We know we’re not expected to win. We’re just going to go there and have fun. Sometimes when you have fun you forget you’re playing against high-ranked opponents. Sometimes that can help and you can upset teams like that because you go there and you have no pressure and play for the fun of it.”\nBerdala said team chemistry will be a major factor for the Hoosiers, who have grown closer since the beginning \nthe year.\n“It is very important because we’re (playing) away,” Berdala said. “The better the connection between all of us, we’re a better team. If we win it’s because we’re a team, and we’re really strong as a team.”\nWhile the Hoosiers are looking forward to testing their skills against the Wildcats, IU coach Lin Loring said the Hoosiers are more focused on competing against the Badgers.\n“That’s the No. 1 thing we have to do this weekend, is to beat Wisconsin,” Loring said. “We’re really excited to play the No. 1 team in the country, especially when they’re in our conference. But that isn’t the priority match. We know that they’re heavy favorites.”\nLoring also said injuries could sideline a few players for the Northwestern match. Freshman Katya Zapadalova did not compete against No. 20 Notre Dame last weekend.\nIU will take on Wisconsin at 12 p.m. Saturday and Northwestern at 1 p.m. on Sunday.
(03/31/08 4:41am)
On a roll like a perfectly-aligned row of dominoes, the No. 25 IU women’s tennis team won its fourth consecutive Big Ten match on Saturday, defeating unranked Michigan State 6-1.\nThe Hoosiers won all three of their doubles games before winning five of their singles matches. \nDespite the 6-1 score, the Hoosiers did not win easily. Freshman Myriam Sopel won a difficult 7-5, 6-3 match and sophomore Lindsey Stuckey split sets before winning the third-set tiebreaker. Freshman Charlotte Martin also struggled before winning 7-5, 7-5.\nMichigan State came into Saturday’s match having defeated No. 35 Washington 6-1 Wednesday. \nIU coach Lin Loring said one of the keys to IU’s victory was the focus the team demonstrated early in the match.\n“We knew Michigan State, after beating Washington, must not only be playing well but also have a lot of confidence,” Loring said. “We kind of popped their bubble a little bit because they did come in with a lot of confidence. I’m sure they were thinking they could beat us or have a really good shot at beating us.”\nMartin said the players are happy with their perfect conference record and are especially proud of their victory over the Spartans. \n“We’re really pleased with the (Michigan State) win,” Martin said. “It could have been difficult, but we did a good job and we won pretty convincingly. To be 4-0 in the Big Ten is really good at this stage, and we’re pleased with that.”\nDespite IU’s Big Ten win, its overall winning streak ended at seven as it lost 6-1 to No. 19 Notre Dame in a non-conference match Sunday.\nUnlike the Spartans, the Fighting Irish posed a difficult challenge for the Hoosiers, with three ranked players and two ranked doubles combinations.\nWith its strong pairs, Notre Dame won the doubles point easily. The No. 1 duo of Brook Buck and Kelcy Tefft defeated senior Brianna Williams and freshman Katya Zapadalova 8-4, while Notre Dame’s No. 50 pair of Cosmina Ciobanu and Colleen Rielley beat junior Alba Berdala and Stuckey 8-6. Junior Sigrid Fischer and Sopel defeated Spartans Kali Krisik and Katie Potts 8-7 for the Hoosiers’ only doubles victory.\nLosing the doubles point set the tone for the rest of the match. Berdala, Fischer and Williams all lost to Notre Dame’s ranked players. Berdala lost 6-3, 6-0 to Tefft, Fischer lost 6-1, 6-1 to Ciobanu, and Williams lost 6-3, 6-4 to Krisik. Martin lost 6-1, 6-1 to Buck.\nOnly Stuckey survived the avalanche, defeating Rielley 6-4, 6-2. Sopel split sets before retiring in the third set against Potts as the match was already decided. Still dealing with some nagging injuries, Zapdalova did not compete in the singles against Notre Dame. \nStuckey said the team is still feeling confident about competing in the Big Ten, despite losing to Notre Dame.\n“We stress the most importance on the Big Ten matches,” Stuckey said. “We always like playing teams such as Notre Dame because it gives us some good experience, but our primary focus is to make sure that we’re ahead in the Big Ten, that we’re at a good standing.”\nThe Hoosiers will take on unranked-Wisconsin at 11 a.m. Saturday on the road before heading to Evanston, Ill., Sunday to compete against No. 1 Northwestern.
(03/28/08 5:07am)
On a seven-match winning streak that includes victories against No. 31 Ohio State and No. 45 Iowa, the No. 25 IU women’s tennis team will take on two opponents this weekend that could change its luck – unranked Michigan State and No. 19 Notre Dame.\nThese two matches promise to test the progress the team has made since losing 4-3 to both No. 20 Tennessee and No. 30 Wake Forest.\nSince then, the Hoosiers have had several quality wins. More importantly, they have not lost a doubles point since that time. They’ve also developed stronger chemistry.\n“I think that we have grown a lot as a team,” senior Brianna Williams said. “Tennessee and Wake Forest were a big reality check for us in what we needed to improve in and we have really concentrated on (doubles and three-set matches) ever since.”\nEven though both teams will pose a challenge to the Hoosiers, the team is ready to test its skills against difficult opponents.\n“I think that we will come in with a lot more confidence playing Notre Dame now that we have been winning the doubles point and have been on a seven-game winning streak,” Williams said. \nEven though Michigan State is unranked, the Spartans defeated No. 35 Washington 6-1 on Wednesday. IU coach Lin Loring said he’s less concerned about the non-conference match with Notre Dame and more worried about maintaining a perfect Big Ten record.\n“They’ve changed their doubles and mixed up their singles lineup,” Loring said. “They’re going to come in there really confident. We’re not even thinking about Notre Dame.”\nLoring also said beating lower-ranked teams will help the Hoosiers in the rankings.\n“Our emphasis right now is winning the matches that we’re supposed to win, beating the teams ranked below us,” Loring said. “That’s the most important thing, to make sure we stay on our path to get into the NCAA Tournament.”\nFreshman Maria Guerreiro said the team’s confidence and chemistry is showing in the players’ ability to win close matches. \n“Even when we seem like we’re losing, in the end we always get it,” Guerreiro said. “We’re like the hero – we have a lot of problems, but in the end we get (the win).”\nJunior Sigrid Fischer did not compete in last weekend’s matches against Iowa and No. 57 Minnesota. Loring said he did not know whether Fischer will compete this weekend.
(03/25/08 2:52am)
In its first Big Ten home matches of the year, the No. 32 IU women’s tennis team did not disappoint. Defeating No. 43 Iowa in a close 4-3 match and No. 49 Minnesota 6-1, the Hoosiers held on to their Big Ten record.\nThe doubles matches against Iowa were nail-biters, as the pair of freshman Katya Zapadalova and senior Brianna Williams lost to Iowa’s Alexis Dorr and Jacqueline Lee, 9-8. Freshman Charlotte Martin and junior Alba Berdala defeated Merel Beelen and Milica Veselinovic of Iowa 9-8, and with freshman Myriam Sopel and sophomore Lindsey Stuckey’s 8-3 win over Kayla Berry and Lynne Poggensee-Wei, the Hoosiers captured the doubles point.\nThroughout the weekend, the Hoosiers proved their ability to play in the clutch, winning all four of their three-set tiebreakers. IU coach Lin Loring said he was pleased to see the team winning most of its three-set matches.\n“That’s the difference against Tennessee and Wake Forest, where we lost more of the three-setters,” Loring said. “Recently, we’ve just done a really good job. That has been the big difference (during the last four matches).”\nWilliams had an especially tough match against Iowa, narrowly beating Kelcie Klockenga, 6-7, 7-6, 6-0.\n“I don’t think it’s something you can prepare for until you’re in that situation,” Williams said. “Luckily I’ve been in that situation a couple times before. With the experience of being in that position before and being a senior and knowing what to do in that situation and not letting the pressure get to me is really helpful.” \nBerdala said winning close matches has given the team faith it can take on higher-ranked opponents in the Big Ten, such as Northwestern. \n“(Recently) we have had really close matches, where everybody has to put forth a lot of effort,” Berdala said. “The previous matches really prepared us for this past weekend. I think it gives us a lot of confidence, and we can see we have a strong team. It’s giving us so much confidence for the next Big Ten matches.”\nLoring said the team’s training this season has prepared players for high-pressure situations.\n“It’s kind of what you train for all year long, to put yourself in those situations,” Loring said. “You hope you’re going to come up with the big shots when you need it. That’s why you do weight training, that’s why you do conditioning, that’s why you hit a bunch of balls every day – to hopefully come out on top in those (close) situations.”\nJunior Sigrid Fischer was sick for both matches and did not play. Sopel took her place, winning both of her singles matches as well as her two doubles matches with Stuckey. \nWilliams said the team found out Saturday morning that Fischer was not going to compete. This weekend showed Fischer’s value on the team as well as Sopel’s ability to step in her place.\n“It makes you realize how important that person really is in the lineup,” Williams said. “You definitely have to step up your game. Luckily, Mimi (Sopel) was able to come in singles and do a good job. She really stepped up when she needed to. I was definitely proud of her for that. Lindsey and Myriam had also never really played doubles together before. It was pretty impressive that they dominated in their No. 3 doubles position.”\nThe Hoosiers will take on unranked Michigan State at 3 p.m. Friday at the IU Tennis Center before heading on the road to play No. 24 Notre Dame on Sunday.
(03/21/08 4:57am)
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.
(03/17/08 4:38am)
As spring arrives, so did the first Big Ten matches of the season.\nThe No. 28 IU women’s tennis team took on its first Big Ten opponent of the season, defeating No. 35 Ohio State 4-3 in Columbus, Ohio, on March 8. The team also competed against unranked Maryland later on in the week, as well as scrimmaging against Florida Gulf Coast University in between.\nIU coach Lin Loring said beating the Buckeyes was a nice change for the Hoosiers after close losses to No. 20 Tennessee and No. 30 Wake Forest.\n“Ohio State was a great way for us to start the Big Ten season,” Loring said. “It obviously came down to the last match and Katya (Zapadalova) won a three-setter. It was a really exciting match. We’ve lost two close (matches) to ranked teams. It was nice to beat a ranked team in a close match.”\nThe team scrimmaged against Florida Gulf Coast University on Monday and Tuesday, which prepared it for its first outdoor match against Maryland.\n“We were actually down 2-1 (to Maryland),” Loring said. “Charlotte (Martin), Brianna (Williams) and Sigrid (Fischer) all won three-set matches. We lost to Tennessee and Wake Forest because they won all three-setters.\nPlaying against the Terrapins also posed a new challenge to the Hoosiers: competing outdoors. \n“It was our first outdoor match and they had already played an outdoor match,” Loring said. “Even though Maryland’s not ranked, they’re a very good team. It was kind of a bonus getting an outdoor match under our belt and winning it, too.”\nThe team defeated Maryland 5-2 to improve its overall record to 12-3. Sophomore Lindsey Stuckey said the week was good for team bonding, as well as adding numbers to the win column.\n“Just traveling as a team we got closer, especially with the new freshmen,” Stuckey said. “It’s nice to spend a lot of time together, especially with the two wins. It was good to take that away with us.”\nWilliams said the whole trip was a good learning experience for the team.\n“I think it’s definitely a confidence booster to win our first (Big Ten) match against Ohio State,” Williams said. “Just playing in Florida was good experience for us to get more outdoor practice. We realized it was a big difference playing indoors and outdoors.”\nStuckey said the team’s road trip has conditioned his players to play on the road and be more comfortable in different environments.\n“Before spring break, we didn’t have that many road trips, just Wake Forest,” Stuckey said. “We got to do a lot more on the road. Usually it’s easier to win matches with the home court advantage. Being away, we’ve learned to take that out as a factor. We’ve gotten used to being on the road, out of our own environment and playing just as well.”\nWilliams said the spring break trip will help the Hoosiers later in the season.\n“At the beginning of the season, we had a lot of home matches and we got really used to being at home,” Williams said. “Now we got a lot more practice being away. I feel that’s really going to help us with all the Big Ten matches.”\nThe team will take on No. 36 Iowa at 11 a.m. Saturday and No. 50 Minnesota at 11 a.m. Sunday. Both matches will take place at the IU Tennis Center.
(03/07/08 5:23am)
After months of practice, weeks of doubleheaders and days of anticipation, the Hoosiers will finally compete in their first Big Ten match of the spring season.\nAfter last weekend’s victories over No. 51 DePaul and unranked Xavier, IU is looking forward to facing Big Ten opponent No. 31 Ohio State.\nAlthough this is not the Hoosier’s first road trip this season – they lost 4-3 to No. 37 Wake Forest Feb. 22 – junior Alba Berdala said the team is more focused on this weekend’s match than any other this season.\n“I feel this road trip is different because it’s a Big Ten match,” Berdala said. “We’re more mentally prepared. This is what we’ve been practicing for. This is when everything comes out.”\nSophomore Lindsey Stuckey said playing against the Buckeyes will offer the Hoosiers good preparation before they take on other Big Ten schools. The team is excited about playing important matches, she said. \n“This time we’re more fired up because these are the matches that actually count,” Stuckey said. “Every match counts, but these are the ones we’ve been working so hard for. We’re going to have some tough ones, especially on the road. Ohio State’s a good start. We’ve got to work our way up to Northwestern, now No. 1 in the country. The Big Ten will be tough this year, but I think we’ll do well.”\nAfter losing the doubles point in two 4-3 losses to Wake Forest and No. 17 Tennessee, freshman Charlotte Martin said the new combinations the Hoosiers unveiled last weekend have made the team more confident about competing in doubles this weekend and later in the season.\n“We’ve been working doubles quite a bit the last few weeks,” Martin said. “I think everyone is starting to feel a bit more comfortable now with the new doubles lineup ... This weekend might be more of a test because I think we’re playing stronger opposition. I think everyone’s feeling a bit more confident about it.”\nEven though the Buckeyes are ranked two spots ahead of the Hoosiers, the team is not discouraged. IU coach Lin Loring reassured the team that the rankings don’t reflect the abilities of the two teams. \n“The rankings don’t mean much because it’s too early,” Stuckey said. “(Loring) showed us the rankings and told us not to be intimidated because they’re ahead of us. They haven’t had any great wins or bad losses, but we’ve had some good wins, especially Kentucky who is ranked No. 15 right now. He told us not to have any outside thought about it and just play the match.”\nMartin also said playing only one match will be a nice change from their usual doubleheaders. \n“You go into it with a different attitude,” Martin said. “You can put everything you’ve got into the one match, whereas when you have a doubleheader you’ve got to think ahead for the next match. That’s pretty tiring. It’s nice to be able to focus just on the one match.”\nThe Hoosiers will play Ohio State in Columbus, Ohio on Saturday.
(03/04/08 5:15am)
With the memories of two tough losses still in their heads, the Hoosiers defeated No. 57 DePaul 5-2 and unranked Xavier 7-0 Saturday.\nAfter their recent struggles with doubles, the No. 28 Hoosiers (10-3) switched up their pairings for the two weekend matches. Senior Brianna Williams teamed with freshman Katya Zapadalova against DePaul to win 8-3. Williams played with sophomore Lindsey Stuckey against Xavier, and won 8-3.\nIn a break from their usual pairings, senior Alba Berdala and Stuckey paired against DePaul, while freshman Myriam Sopel and junior Sigrid Fischer played together against both teams. Making up the third doubles pair against Xavier were junior Stephanie Heller and freshman Maria Guerreiro.\nWilliams said the importance of the two wins was not lost on the team as they begin conference play.\n“These two wins were really important, especially since we are about to start our Big Ten season,” Williams said. “I think the momentum will carry over to this upcoming weekend against Ohio.”\nSopel said the two wins not only improved IU’s record, but also boosted the team’s confidence heading into the difficult conference portion of its schedule.\n“We won both of our matches Saturday, which represents a good accomplishment and made us gain some confidence,” Sopel said. “We are going to approach the next match with more confidence since we know what our strengths are and what we need to keep working on.”\nWilliams said adjusting to different doubles combinations provided a challenge, one the Hoosiers are ready to face and hope will improve their doubles record.\n“Once you play with someone for a while, you get used to their game,” Williams said. “I think that it was good, though, that we mixed up the doubles. We are just trying to find the most effective teams possible.”\nFischer said switching up the doubles pairs did not affect her mindset.\n“It did not really make a difference to me. They are both great players,” Fischer said of Sopel and Stuckey.\nSopel said the two matches provided a good experience for the team, which it’ll carry over into future competitions. Even though the team practiced with different pairs during the week, it was good for players to compete in real matches.\n“This weekend was our last doubleheader of the season,” Sopel said. “To be able to compete against two different teams of different levels made us work a lot on our new doubles combinations, and trying new game strategies with our partner.”\nThe Hoosiers will practice this week before setting out on next week’s road trip to No. 45 Ohio State.
(02/29/08 5:29am)
In the past two weeks, the IU women’s tennis team has dropped two close contests against ranked opponents. The No. 28 Hoosiers hope this weekend’s opponents won’t pose as much of a challenge.\nBut that doesn’t mean they’ve forgotten their tough losses.\nLast weekend, IU narrowly lost to No. 19 Wake Forest 4-3, and the week before, No. 23 Tennessee handed the Hoosiers a defeat by the same score.\nJunior Sigrid Fischer said this weekend’s matches against No. 57 DePaul and unranked Xavier will give the Hoosiers a chance to refine their doubles play after losing the doubles points against Wake Forest and Tennessee.\n“For us, it’s time to improve in doubles quite a bit,” Fischer said. “We just need to win the doubles point because it makes it easier to win (the match). Winning four singles is a lot (to ask for).”\nFellow junior Alba Berdala said the team has tinkered with different doubles pairs in practice to see if adjustments need to be made.\n“We’re really emphasizing doubles because the last hard matches came down to doubles,” Berdala said. “We’re pretty good in singles, but we’re struggling a lot in doubles.”\nBerdala said the team has tried some new partner combinations in hopes of mixing things up.\nIU coach Lin Loring said he’s not decided whether the team will compete with new doubles pairs.\nFor Berdala, the home stand is a welcome sight.\n“We feel comfortable at home,” Berdala said. “We know the courts. I think it’s going to be beneficial for us. Last week was kind of rough.”\nAfter her first spring season road trip, freshman Myriam Sopel has a new appreciation for the IU Tennis Center. \n“We didn’t have all the fans we usually have and the guys’ tennis team coming to support us,” Sopel said. “I think we’re going to feel the atmosphere more now that we know what it is to be away.”\nThe Hoosiers were 1-1 in last week’s trip to Winston-Salem, N.C.\nFischer also said the team’s close loss to the Demon Deacons has given the Hoosiers extra motivation to prove themselves this weekend.\n“It was really upsetting,” Fischer said. “I think it was kind of upsetting that we were so close. I think we really want to beat those teams - that we’re ready to kick some butt.”\nLoring said even though the match’s final results were close, he does not think the loss damaged the team’s psyche.\n“I think they feel pretty good about the way we’re playing,” Loring said. “I don’t think confidence will be an issue.”\nLoring also said losing on the road was a good learning experience the team can use in the future.\n“We played on the road in the fall, but I think it was important for the team to see we could play a top-20 team down to the wire on the road,” Loring said. “I thought that was important. That’ll help next time we go on the road.”\nIU will take on DePaul at 10 a.m. and Xavier at 3 p.m. Saturday at the IU Tennis Center.
(02/25/08 5:36am)
A late resurgence and a number of close calls contributed to the Hoosiers’ loss this weekend as No. 28 IU (8-3) fell 4-3 to No. 19 Wake \nForest.\nIU’s loss marked its third to a higher-ranked opponent this season, including last week’s 4-3 loss to No. 23 Tennessee and a Jan. 27 loss to No. 8 Duke.\nIU coach Lin Loring said he was not upset about IU’s play this weekend, but hope the close losses mean a win against a tough opponent is in sight.\n“We had three match points in Sigrid’s (Fischer) match,” Loring said. “We were literally one point away from winning. Hopefully one day, one of these close plays will go our way.”\nSenior captain Brianna Williams said the team can take some solace in its defeats. \n“I think it shows we’re competitive since we lost to both (No. 23 Tennessee and No. 19 Wake Forest) teams 3-4,” William said. “I think that gives us confidence that if we just get one more point, if we just step up to one more level, we have the opportunity to beat those teams.”\nWilliams also said the team’s first road trip was a good test to see how the it would fare away from home.\n“Our first road trip is definitely hard being away from home and having a bunch of fans for the other team out there,” Williams said. “(The close score) shows that we can compete at that level on the road.”\nJunior Alba Berdala said the players are feeling confident about future matches against difficult opponents. \n“I’m not going to lie. Maybe if we won that match we’d have double confidence, but we definitely know how to compete,” Berdala said. “We just have to figure out how to take those matches against the hard teams. Now we just need to make the last step and try to beat them.”\nWilliams attributed their loss to a slow start in doubles matches.\n“I think a crucial factor in losing was that we lost the original doubles point,” Williams said. “That’s just so important to set the momentum. It makes it harder to win four of the singles matches instead of three. I think that really hurt us a lot.”\nLoring compared the match to a close basketball game. \n“This match would be the same as losing a basketball game with a three-pointer at the buzzer,” Loring said. “It’s the exact same thing, I’m not sure if you do anything different. You just hope the three-pointer doesn’t go in at the buzzer.”\nAfter losing the doubles point, the Hoosiers came back to win their next three singles matches. Berdala, freshman Charlotte Martin and sophomore Lindsey Stuckey all won their matches, putting IU \nup 3-1.\nAfter that, the Hoosiers lost control of their next three matches. Both freshman Katya Zapadalova and junior Fischer lost three-set matches while Williams lost in two sets.\nThe Hoosiers and the Demon Deacons were tied at 3-3 with Fischer and Sierra Poske locked in an intense battle. Fischer handily won the first set 6-1 but lost the second 7-6 and the third 7-5.\nThe Hoosiers also played against unranked UNC-Greensboro, winning 5-2.
(02/22/08 5:38am)
This is the United Nations of tennis. \nBut on the courts, countries dissolve, nationalities disappear and a new nation solely compromised of tennis players forms. A new language develops with words such as volley, backhand and baseline. The language has no accents, and all who step on the courts are automatically fluent.\nIt is these neutral courts that have given four freshmen a new life in a foreign country with a surrogate family of teammates, coaches and trainers.\nIn the fall of last year, they joined the IU women’s tennis team, a historic program with a veteran coach at a university that offers an array of majors and disciplines.\nThe four girls on the team are all foreign imports, adding to the Hoosiers’ international flavor and filling out their lineup.
(02/22/08 5:35am)
After a 7-2 start to the spring season, IU will travel to Winston-Salem, N.C., this weekend to compete against No. 19 Wake Forest and unranked University of North Carolina-Greensboro.\nThe Demon Deacons are 2-1 as of Feb. 21, with one of their wins coming over No. 23 Tennessee, 4-3. They also pose another threat with the No. 28 duo of Alexandra Hirsch and Sasha Kulikova.\nIU coach Lin Loring said he hopes the team will learn from its mistakes during their own 4-3 loss to Tennessee last weekend. He said the road trip will be a good experience for the team.\n“It’s going to be good because we need to play on the road,” Loring said. “They beat Tennessee, so we know it’s going to be a really tough match. Hopefully we’ll just compete better in the doubles (than against Tennessee).”\nSenior captain Brianna Williams said she is confident IU can compete at a high level after the match with the Volunteers.\n“I think it was good to have a really close and competitive match for us,” Williams said. “Wake Forest is obviously a really good team. Even though we lost (to Tennessee), we know that we can compete at that level. It’ll be different competing away from home. I think as long as we have the team spirit then we can do it.”\nThis will be IU’s second time competing against Wake Forest. The Hoosiers opened up the fall season at the Deacon Classic and posted a 3-4 mark in doubles and singles competition against the Demon Deacons.\nJunior Sigrid Fischer said the team will use their past experience with Wake Forest for Saturday’s match.\n“We knew (in September) that we had to come out being stronger,” Fischer said. “We have an idea how good they are. It’s been five months since then so they could have changed lineups. But we have an idea.”\nFischer also said the Hoosiers are trying to focus on the team they’re competing against, not the road trip.\n“You have to travel and think about being tired from traveling, but we’re more thinking about playing Wake Forest as a really good team,” Fischer said. “We just want to get prepared to beat them or make a good match out of it.”\nIU will arrive on Friday, in time to watch the Demon Deacons compete against No. 15 Notre Dame. \nJunior Alba Berdala said the team hopes to capitalize on any weaknesses the Fighting Irish expose.\n“We’re going to have time to see how they’re doing,” Berdala said. “I feel like that’s going to be a big advantage. If you see someone playing before you can see what they do wrong and try to attack it.”
(02/18/08 5:35am)
Nothing comes easy anymore for the Hoosiers. After last weekend’s effortless victories over Marquette and Morehead State, the No. 27 IU women’s tennis team lost 4-3 to No. 21 Tennessee, but beat Ball State 7-0. \nThe Tennessee Volunteers handily won the doubles matches, with the Hoosiers staying close at first before Tennessee pulled away to win two out of three singles matches. Tennessee’s Caitlin Whoriskey and Jennifer Meredith beat the Hoosier combination of junior Alba Berdala and freshman Katya Zapadalova 8-3, while the Lady Vols No. 26 pair Ghizela Schutte and Rosalia Alda beat IU junior Sigrid Fischer and sophomore Lindsey Stuckey, 8-2. \nTennessee’s Samantha Orlin and Connor Vogel retired, or conceded the match, while leading 6-5 during their match with IU senior captain Brianna Williams and freshman Myriam Sopel. The duo retired after the Lady Vols had already clinched the doubles point. \nVogel later retired again during her singles match with Williams, when she was leading 2-1, tying the two schools up at 1-1.\nWith IU up 3-2, all focus turned toward the last two players remaining, Stuckey and Berdala. Stuckey lost her first set and made a comeback in the second before losing to Alda 0-6, 7-6, 1-6. \nBerdala won her first set before Whoriskey won the second, forcing a third set tie-breaker that would ultimately lead to an IU defeat. Berdala lost 6-3, 2-6, 3-6. IU freshman Charlotte Martin easily won her match 6-2, 6-1, and junior Sigrid Fischer came back after her first set to win 7-6, 6-2. \nIU coach Lin Loring said he was happy with how the Hoosiers competed individually against Tennessee, but disappointed in their doubles play.\n“We just started really slowly in doubles, and that really put us in a hole, just mentally,” Loring said. “The point turned out to be the deciding point. I was really pleased with how we played in singles. We put ourselves in the position to win, and you can’t really ask for anything more than that.”\nWilliams also said the team will remember how vital the doubles point is to the match’s final result.\n“We didn’t come out fully prepared for doubles,” Williams said. “I think losing doubles and being so close in singles really taught us how important the doubles point is. I hope we’ll learn from that.”\nJunior Stephanie Heller also said the team will remember this match for a long time to come.\n“I think it’ll teach us that each point in each match counts,” Heller said. “It’s our first really, really close match that went the other way.”\nThe Ball State match offered less of a challenge to the Hoosiers. Zapadalova and Berdala did not compete in doubles against Ball State. Fischer and Stuckey moved up to the first slot, winning 8-3. Williams and Sopel moved up to the second team and won 8-1. The rookie pair of Heller and Martin teamed up to win 8-1.\nHeaded into their road trip with a 7-2 record, the Hoosiers will travel to No. 20 Wake Forest and unranked UNC-Greensboro next Saturday. Both matches will be played in Winston-Salem, N.C.
(02/15/08 5:02am)
Like the recent bitter cold weather that’s struck southern Indiana, the No. 27 women’s tennis team is about to be exposed to the toughest portion of its season schedule. \nAfter handily defeating Marquette and Morehead State last weekend, the Hoosiers will take on No. 21 Tennessee and Ball State this Sunday. \nLike the Hoosiers, Tennessee has also had tough competitions. Last month, the Volunteers defeated No. 5 North Carolina 4-3. The Vols then lost on Feb. 3 to No. 20 Wake Forest, a team also on the Hoosiers’ schedule, 4-3.\nIU coach Lin Loring said the team is aware of the challenges ahead, but feels this season has prepared them well for the upcoming challengers. \n“We know they’re a really good team,” Loring said. “We know it’s going to be a big challenge for us. We’ve just got to keep working hard.”\nSophomore Lindsey Stuckey said the team is feeling confident playing a high-ranked opponent after having played Duke and Kentucky.\n“Tennessee will definitely be a really tough team to play, but we’ve had experience playing other teams just as good,” Stuckey said. “We’ve just got to stay positive and know that we have a chance to beat them.”\nLoring said every match the team has played up to this point has helped the team’s development.\n“Again, with the young players we have, every match they play just helps us get ready for the next one,” Loring said. “I feel like we’ve gotten a lot of doubles in, and I think the players are learning more and more what to expect.”\nJunior Alba Berdala agreed, saying after last weekend’s matches the team is mentally prepared for Tennessee.\n“Playing every single team helps, whether they’re good or bad,” Berdala said. “It’s not the way you play; it’s the way you’re thinking.”\nLoring is also looking ahead to next Saturday’s match against the Demon Deacons, hoping that this weekend offers some more practice for the Hoosiers.\n“We’re really looking forward to this match,” Loring said. “It will certainly help us get ready for the Wake Forest match, another highly ranked team. We’re getting to the point in our schedule where all the matches will be tough.”\nTennessee presents a dangerous duo with the second-best doubles team in the country in Caitlin Whoriskey and Zsofia Zubor. Zubor is also ranked No. 95 individually.\nUnlike Tennessee, Ball State poses less of a threat. The Hoosiers have already competed against the Cardinals this season when they hosted the Indiana Doubles Invitational back in January. The Hoosiers won all four of their doubles matches with the Cardinals that weekend.\nIU enters Sunday’s matches with a 6-1 record after defeating both Marquette and Morehead State 7-0 last weekend.\nEarlier this season, Ball State hosted Marquette and fell to the Golden Eagles, 7-0. \nThe Hoosiers will take on Tennessee at 10 a.m. and Ball State at 3 p.m. Both matches will take place at the IU Tennis Center.
(02/11/08 5:13am)
Like Dr. Jekyll to Mr. Hyde, the Hoosiers transformed into monsters on Sunday as they defeated both Marquette and Morehead State 7-0. \nThe No. 26 women’s tennis team established its dominance early on, with the two wins improving the Hoosiers’ record to 6-1. However, its match with Marquette did come with a struggle. \nFreshman Katya Zapadalova, sophomore Lindsey Stuckey and senior captain Brianna Williams each had tough sets during the match with the Marquette Golden Eagles but prevailed in the end. Zapadalova beat Marquette’s Erin Watkins 7-5, 6-0. Stuckey’s match went into the third set before she defeated Christina Ruiz 4-6, 7-6 (7-3), 1-0 (10-7). Williams also struggled at first before beating Robin Metzler 7-6 (7-3), 6-1. \nJunior Alba Berdala later stumbled in the second set of her match against Morehead State’s Alexandra Rydberg before coming back to win 6-2, 7-5.\nBoth Marquette and Morehead State left Bloomington with losing records, 1-6 and 2-6, respectively.\nIU coach Lin Loring and Williams agreed that the matches, while not as difficult as past tournaments, gave the team practice for more difficult opponents coming up in the season. \n“This is a young team, the more matches the better, especially in doubles,” Loring said. “Almost everybody had a tough set somewhere. That’ll help us get ready for next weekend.”\nWilliams said Marquette took the Hoosiers by surprise, making IU work harder early on.\n“I always want to go into every match with the same mentality because you never know what you’re going to expect,” Williams said. “We weren’t expecting them to be that good so we had a lot of close matches and first sets.”\nThe Hoosiers used the two matches as opportunities to improve their game and experiment with different techniques. Loring gave the team goals to work on during the game that it can use during more challenging matches. \n“When we play weaker teams or teams we’re supposed to (beat), we always try to work on something that’s going to help against a good team,” Berdala said. “We knew we were supposed to win. It was more of a challenge to prove ourselves. We definitely have been keeping up with good teams, and today everybody did such a good job. I feel like that gave us confidence for next weekend.”\nIU junior Sigrid Fischer agreed this weekend’s wins allowed the team to boost its confidence in its game. Because of the wins, the team became more sure of its doubles abilities. \n“Two more matches make us a lot more comfortable in doubles,” Fischer said. “You get to know your partner in doubles a lot better. It makes us more confident.”\nThe Hoosiers will next take on No. 21 Tennessee at 10 a.m. Sunday and Ball State at 3 p.m. Both matches will take place at the IU Tennis Center.
(02/08/08 6:23am)
After a drawn-out 4-3 victory over Kentucky last Saturday, the No. 26 IU women’s tennis team is hoping for an easier time this weekend against unranked Marquette and Morehead State. Unlike Saturday’s match, both opponents possess losing records (1-4 and 1-5, respectively), but the Hoosiers said they are not underestimating either of them.\nFreshman Myriam Sopel said their opponents may not seem like a challenge, but the team won’t let down its guard easily.\n“I don’t think we’re going to be so relaxed,” Sopel said. “We’ve been working so hard the past few days. We will not be chilling like some people think because we have a winning record. We’re going to keep working hard and act like it was the No. 1 team in the nation.”\nJunior Sigrid Fischer said the two matches will help the team’s mental strength. She said one of the keys to winning on Sunday is keeping their attention on the task at hand.\n“We have to focus,” Fischer said. “Sometimes if you think the team is not as strong, they might have strong freshmen. They come in really motivated. They obviously want to beat us so it’s no time to relax. We have to go out and play and beat them first before we can say they’re a weak team.”\nIU coach Lin Loring was also wary regarding this weekend’s opponents. Loring said injuries have hurt Marquette this season, and he is unsure about what kind of matchup they will pose for the Hoosiers. \nLoring also said Sunday’s tournament can offer the team more time to try out various techniques they won’t normally do.\n“We’ve been working a lot of stuff on doubles and individuals,” he said. “We’ll definitely, if it does turn out to be a little weaker, we’ll definitely use the experience. We’ll wait and make sure the matches are winnable before we experiment.”\nSenior Brianna Williams said these two matches will allow the Hoosiers to practice some new moves.\n“It’s definitely a time we can work on a bunch of things, especially with doubles,” Williams said. “I think these matches will definitely prepare us for working on more things so we can get ready for the harder upcoming matches.”\nAnd after Sunday’s matches, the Hoosiers have to start thinking about two tough opponents coming up on the schedule – No. 19 Wake Forest and No. 21 Tennessee. \nIU’s win over Kentucky this past weekend is still fresh in the players’ minds. Fischer said the win allowed the team’s freshmen to see a close match early on in the season, while Williams said their win proved to the team that their ranking is no fluke.\n“(The win) was great to motivate everybody and to show that we really are in the top and can compete at that level,” she said.\nIU will play Marquette at 10 a.m. and Morehead State at 3 p.m. Both matches will be held at the IU Tennis Center.
(02/04/08 6:13am)
As close as a razor blade to naked skin.\nOnly that could describe the No. 24 Hoosiers’ 4-3 win – \ntheir closest match of the season – over the No. 26 Kentucky Wildcats Saturday.\nThe Hoosiers started off the match by winning the doubles point, narrowly defeating Kentucky, and setting the tone for the rest of the game. Freshman Katya Zapadalova and junior Alba Berdala lost 6-8 to the No. 20 duo of Christine Johnston and Carolina Escamilla. The other two doubles matches were equally gripping, with IU winning the last two matches, both 9-7.\nFacing match point, a fateful hit from freshman Myriam Sopel’s racket secured the doubles point for the Hoosiers.\nThe singles matches were also split between victories and defeats.\nZapadalova hung on in her match before losing 6-4, 6-4 to Megan Broderick. Berdala took on No. 69 ranked Sarah Woestmann winning 7-5, 6-2. After her win, which clinched the victory for the Hoosiers, the team turned its attention to the last match.\nBoth teams assembled in a horizontal line across the court, watching freshman Charlotte Martin compete against Kentucky’s Alaina Trgovich. After splitting the first two sets, Martin fell to Trgovich in the third, losing 6-1, 4-6, 7-5.\nThe rest of the matches weren’t as dramatic. Junior Sigrid Fischer lost 6-3, 6-1, however, both senior captain Brianna Williams and junior Lindsey Stuckey handily defeated their opponents. Williams beat Wildcat Whitney Spencer 6-1, 6-1 while Stuckey beat Kentucky’s Escamilla 6-0, 6-2.\nBerdala said she kept tabs on her teammates during the matches. Knowing how her teammates were faring kept her more determined to win.\n“I always check out how everyone is doing,” Berdala said. “When I saw that I was the one who had to win the match, I was more focused. Now it’s time that you have to step up and play better because I could see that the other ones were struggling with it.”\nMartin also agreed that watching her teammates compete well, despite the challenges, kept her going throughout her three-set match.\n“It’s good if you see someone else in a tight match – it really spurs you on,” Martin said. “If you see your teammates down, obviously you want to win. If you can see they’re really in a battle it gives you real momentum. It’s good to play those sorts of matches because it sort of brings the team together.”\nIU coach Lin Loring stressed the importance of the match, noting it gave the team experience they can use later in the season for a chance to make the NCAA tournament. \n“For our freshmen, especially being in their first really tight match, it could have gone either way,” Loring said. “I just think it really helps to have that experience. Even though Charlotte’s match in the end didn’t count, it was a really good situation for her to be the only one out there with everybody watching in the third set because next time it happens it might be the deciding point of the match.”\nKentucky came into the match undefeated, but as a result of the loss dropped to 4-1. In a mirror result, the win boosted IU’s record to 4-1. The Hoosiers will look to win again on Sunday with two matches scheduled at the IU Tennis Center: Marquette at 10 a.m. and Morehead State at 3 p.m.
(02/01/08 6:06am)
Like Goldilocks and the three bears, the women’s tennis team is finally playing against an opponent just its size.\nAfter last Sunday’s hard-fought loss to Duke and an easy victory against Butler, No. 24 IU will compete against No. 26 Kentucky this Saturday. \nIU coach Lin Loring said he’s expecting a good match this weekend. Last year the then-No. 37 ranked Hoosiers beat the then-No. 21 Wildcats 5-2 in an upset.\n“We know that this is going to be a really close match,” Loring said. “We know that they’re playing well, and I’m sure that they’re here for some revenge.”\nFreshman Katya Zapadalova said despite last weekend’s loss to Duke, the team walked away with the confidence that they can compete well against strong teams.\n“Last weekend we played against a very good team and a weak team, so now we know the level of the higher teams,” Zapadalova said. “We had very good matches. We now know how to compete and what to expect.”\nSophomore Lindsey Stuckey said she valued the experience gained from playing Duke. \n“I think just with doubles we’ve learned how to play against great teams,” Stuckey said. “Playing with Duke gave us a lot of experience because their doubles are always really strong. I think it’ll give us the opportunity to know what to expect against Kentucky because their doubles and singles are always really strong.”\nSenior captain Brianna Williams said this weekend’s match will give IU more practice at playing doubles.\n“Our strength is that we have a really solid singles lineup this year,” Williams said. “Our doubles is a little weaker, but I think as the season goes on and (we) keep playing and having a lot of matches, we’ll definitely get a lot stronger and have the potential to be a really strong doubles team.” \nWilliams and Stuckey said playing only one match on Saturday instead of two will help the Hoosiers focus. But Loring downplayed the effect.\n“Those weekends (with two matches) we always played the better team first,” Loring said. “It’ll be good for the girls to get more time off. It won’t affect the first match because there would be nothing different as far as playing a better team first.”\nThe Hoosiers currently have a 3-1 record, with wins over No. 66 Western Michigan, and unranked Butler and Miami (Ohio). \nKentucky is perfect at 4-0, including wins over No. 30 Michigan and No. 51 Marshall. \nThe match starts at 10 a.m. Saturday at the IU Tennis Center.
(01/28/08 5:35am)
History repeated itself Sunday as the women’s tennis team lost to Duke 6-1 but defeated Butler 7-0.\nThe matches were reminiscent of last year when IU lost to both schools by the same scores. \nSenior captain Brianna Williams won the only match against Duke, defeating No. 99 ranked Amanda Granson. IU faced a Blue Devils team stacked with ranked players. Freshman Katya Zapadalova lost to Duke’s No. 57 ranked Elizabeth Plotkin, while junior Alba Berdala lost to No. 5 Ellah Nze, and junior Sigrid Fischer lost to No. 17 Reka Zsilinszka. \n“They’re just loaded this year,” said IU coach Lin Loring. “It’s the best singles lineup they’ve had, I think, in the last 10 or 12 years. That level of competition really exposes your weakness. You learn a lot more when you lose a match than when you win.” \nBerdala said after playing with Duke, the team came away with confidence about future matches. \n“Today we had one of the best teams we’re going to play and one of the weakest teams we’re going to play,” Berdala said. “We see that we’re not having that much trouble against the weak teams, and with the good team we can compete with them. Some of the matches were really close and that shows that we have a chance against good teams.”\nLoring was proud that the Hoosiers were able to compete with the Blue Devils. \n“I wish we had been able to play them after we had two or three more matches,” Loring said. “That being said, you’ve got to play teams like that to make your team better. I’m hoping we’ll take some confidence away.”\nFreshman Myriam Sopel said the experience they gained from playing against Duke will prove to be more valuable than easily defeating Butler. Having played against a top team like the Blue Devils, she said, will come in handy later in the season.\n“It was the very first high-ranked team we were playing,” Sopel said. “I think we will learn from our mistakes. We can always learn from our losses and catch positive things in losses.”\nAfter dominating the doubles round by a combined 6-0 last weekend against Western Michigan and Miami (Ohio), IU lost all three doubles matches to Duke. The team easily won the doubles round in the second match, going 3-0 against Butler.\nButler, an unranked team, gave IU no trouble as they won all their matches without any difficulty. No set got closer than 6-3 as the Hoosiers improved their record to 3-1. \nSophomore Lindsey Stuckey did not compete in her singles match against Butler due to a back spasm. Sopel, playing in her first singles match of the year, competed in Stuckey’s place. \nThe Hoosiers currently sit at No. 25. New team rankings will be updated Tuesday on www.itatennis.com.\nIU will take on Kentucky at 10 a.m. Saturday in its next match.