Team dominates in first home competition

The IU women's tennis team continued its fall tournament schedule with a bang when the entire Hoosier squad contributed to the weekend-long win total. IU successfully defended its home courts, winning far more matches than its visitors at the Hoosier Classic.\nThe Hoosiers began their myriad of victories on day one, with the singles lineup winning eight matches. Seniors Martina Grimm, Karie Schlukebir and Linda Tran showed off their experience, winning three tough matches in straight sets. Juniors Dora Vastag and Dominika Walterova also added to the string of victories with freshmen Laura McGaffigan, Cecile Perton and Kara Zeder all claiming victories as well, advancing in their respective flights.\nIn doubles action, IU continued with its success, winning five of its day one matches. IU's top doubles team of Schlukebir and Tran easily advanced, giving up only one game against its first two opponents. The Hoosier duo showed why it is are the No. 28 ranked doubles team in the nation, as the teamwork proved to be too much for the competition.\n"I was happy with the way Karie and I played," Tran said. "We were playing good tennis and improved on some things we were working on."\nIn the other flight of doubles, Perton and Zeder won both of their matches over talented teams, beating the Murray State and LSU teams to advance to the finals.\nOn day two of the Hoosier Classic, the Cream and Crimson picked up right where they left off. The doubles teams of Schlukebir-Tran and Perton-Zeder won both their finals matches. The two wins not only combined for an IU sweep of the doubles brackets but also rounded out an undefeated weekend of doubles play.\nCoach Lin Loring said she was especially pleased with the doubles performance.\n"We played great again in doubles," Loring said. "Karie and Linda are playing extremely well."\nSchlukebir and Tran defeated Rosenberg and McIver of Kansas State 8-2 in semifinal action before downing Castillejos and Simosa of Kansas State 8-1. The perfect pair of Hoosiers cruised through the weekend, only allowing four games in as many matches. Perton and Zeder experienced slightly more resistance, as they prevailed over the LSU team of Espinal and White, 8-6 in the finals of the second doubles flight.\n"I thought everyone played well this weekend," Schlukebir said. "We all did really well in doubles. In singles, a few of us lost close matches, but everyone seemed to bounce back and play better. Not only winning, but actually raising our level of play. That's what we're trying to do in our fall matches, improve with every match."\nIn singles competition, McGaffigan emerged from the Hoosier Classic winning her flight after a tough opening round match. The freshman from Davenport, Iowa squeezed past LSU's Espanal, 7-6 (2), 6-2, before defeating Iowa's Hilary Mintz in the finals.\nMcGaffigan was excited about her play this weekend but was especially happy to see the team do well in its first competition at home.\n"All the teams here were really tough, and my matches were really tough," McGaffigan said. "I'm so happy with the way we've started out. There were a lot of good players out there, and having a bunch of girls around to support you really helps out."\nMcGaffigan's win was only one of several day three singles victories for the Hoosiers, as the squad showed significant improvement in singles play. Tran suffered IU's only loss Sunday, in a close match against Jessica Simosa of Kansas State 7-5, 6-3.\n-- Contact staff writer Jeff Fuldauer at jfuldaue@indiana.edu.