Women shine in opener

The IU women's tennis team defeated Bowling Green State University and the University of Cincinnati in its first two team matches of the year Sunday. The score in both matches was 7-0.\nThe team swept all of the doubles matches. IU's No. 1 doubles team, junior Karie Schlukebir and sophomore Linda Tran, only lost three sets in the two matches they played; defeating Bowling Green 8-2 and Cincinnati 8-1. \n"I think all in all every one played great," Schlukebir said. "Every one was a little nervous, but everyone played very well."\n"I thought we competed well," coach Lin Loring said. "There were a couple matches that were close, and we won all the close ones. We didn't get more injured, so that was the other good news for the weekend."\nMany of the players have had nagging injuries but still participated in the matches Sunday.\nEven though both matches were blowouts, Loring thought that both teams were good competition at this early stage of the season. \n"They have some good young players," Loring said. "I thought both teams played well."\nThe IU coaches are still experimenting with the doubles because injuries have troubled the team all season. \n"We didn't have our doubles set going into the matches, but our biggest challenge is going to be keeping everyone healthy," Schlukebir said.\nAfter they dominated the doubles matches, the Hoosiers swept all the singles matches for an opening day win. \nNo. 1 singles player, senior Amanda Field, defeated Bowling Green senior Devon Bissinger 6-0, 6-1 and Cincinnati junior Jen Capuzzi, 6-3, 6-1. \n"We all played well," Field said. "It gave us a good start. The first match of the season is always hard."\nLoring agreed, but didn't think the team ran as smoothly as it could have been.\n"It was a good start to the season," Loring said. "We definitely have a lot for improvement to work on."\nWomen's assistant coach, Ramiro Azcui, is pleased with the way the team has been playing. "Everyone is trying to improve match by match, especially in the first half of the season before the Big Ten season," he said. "The players worked aspects of the game that we asked them to. They are getting better and better."\nSaturday IU faces Western Michigan University at 9:30 a.m. and University of Miami (Ohio) at 2:30 p.m. The games will be played at the Indiana Tennis Center, north of Assembly Hall.