Titan Series point up for grabs

The IU women's tennis team returns home this weekend to resume conference play and compete for a Titan Series point against the Purdue Boilermakers. \nIn the Titan Series, IU competes against Purdue to win as many of the 18 eligible points as possible to achieve the overall championship. Each sport is worth one point in the series. The school who wins the regular season head-to-head match will receive the point. If a tie should occur, the point is split between the two teams. IU leads the series 7-5. \nWith a 5-7 overall record, Purdue is coming off an upset against No. 22 Notre Dame last week. Purdue is ranked No. 40 nationally and has a conference record of 2-1.\n"We have traditionally dominated Purdue," senior Amanda Field said, "but this year they are a strong team and we need to be physically and mentally prepared for a long, tough match. They have had good wins this season already and definitely don't need to be underestimated."\nIU has a slight edge this weekend because the Boilermakers do not have as much outdoor match play experience as the Hoosiers. \nSince coach Lin Loring has been at IU, the Hoosiers lead Purdue 41-1. Despite this strong history, Loring believes Purdue's current team to be the strongest he's faced. The Boilermakers are ranked ahead of IU and are favored to win the match.\n"They have been playing especially well lately," Loring said. "We will have to have all our players playing well to win this weekend." \nAlthough the team still suffers some daily aches and pains from injuries, it is regaining strength. Junior Jessica Levin returned to the lineup for the first time this spring in the match against Duke. \nLevin had shoulder surgery at the beginning of December because of a tear in her rotator cuff. Although Levin said she believes her shoulder will continue to improve, the pain has not completely subsided. \n"My first match back, I struggled a little with my consistency," she said. "I was happy with how I played overall because I had hardly played before the match."\nThe match is set for Saturday at 10 a.m. at the Indiana Tennis Center. Weather permitting, the match will be held outdoors on the Indiana Varsity Tennis courts. \nSunday, IU lost to No. 7 Duke 0-7 but quickly rebounded by defeating North Carolina State 5-2 Monday.\nThe team fared well in doubles against the Blue Devils. The No. 1 team of junior Karie Schlukebir and sophomore Linda Tran defeated Kelly McCain and Sarah Arasu 9-7. \nIn other doubles play, sophomore Martina Grimm and freshman Dominika Walterova lost 8-4 at the No. 2 spot. In her first match back this season, Levin and partner Amanda Field lost in the No. 3 position 9-8.\nIn addition to the team's top 10 ranking, four of Duke's team members are ranked individually. At No. 1 singles, Field lost to McCain, who is No. 4 nationally. Schlukebir had a close match against Julie DeRoo but lost 6-0, 4-6, 1-0(1). \n The match against North Carolina State was harder than the team anticipated. The Wolfpack had an edge over the Hoosiers because of their opportunities to play outdoors on a daily basis. \n "Against (NC State) we played our worst doubles of the year," Coach Lin Loring said, "but we found a way to come back and win."\nIU captured two of three doubles matches to win the doubles point. Schlukebir and Tran were down 7-4 at No. 1 but fought back to win 9-7. Although down 6-2, the No. 2 team of freshman Inga Radel and Walterova, paired up for their first match of the season, came back to eventually win 9-7 and earn IU the doubles point. \nIn singles, Radel improved her record to 20-3 after beating her opponent at the No. 3 spot 6-2, 6-1. At No. 4, Schlukebir won her match 7-6(5), 1-6, 1-0(8). Tran won the clinching match of the day at No. 2, 6-0, 7-5.