Hoosiers face top opponents in 2004

Imagine playing a spring schedule which includes six teams ranked among the top 25 in the nation. Now imagine four of the six will be played in hostile road environments.\nThis is the schedule facing IU coach, Lin Loring, and the IU women's tennis team. Only this is just the pre-conference schedule.\n The Hoosiers play 15 ranked opponents with over half of the matches to be played away from the IU Tennis Center.\nDuke, Tennessee, Kentucky, Arizona State, Notre Dame and Texas A&M are among the heavy hitters IU meets on their way to the Big Ten Championships. \nAnnual match-ups against Northwestern, Illinois, Michigan and Purdue add to create a stretch of matches where a weak team cannot be found. But the Hoosiers say the scheduling -- however tough -- will be nothing but beneficial when Big Ten play rolls around.\n"I told the team that we won't have any excuses when we start the Big Ten season, as far as not being ready," Loring said. \nSo far, the scheduling has worked out. The Hoosiers (4-1) already have one upset to their credit, downing then No. 10 Tennessee, and can take a lot away from a close loss outdoors to Arizona State. \nWhile IU's 2003 spring season suffered from injuries and a lack of depth, this year's depth and consistency separates them from the field.\n"It's great to know we have nothing to lose, playing these teams ahead of us in the rankings," Tran said. "I think that's what's great about our schedule. No matter who we play, we're the underdogs, and teams we play know we are a good team this year. As long as we go out and compete as hard as we can in every match, I think we will do well."\nAgainst their latest ranked opponent, Arizona State, the Hoosiers struggled in both singles and doubles -- something that has not happened all spring. Vastag, along with Batty were the only two Hoosiers to win a singles match. Vastag defeated No. 50 Joslynn Burkett, 6-4, 6-4 as Batty cleaned up Sun Devil, Sabrina Capannolo, 6-2, 6-2. The Hoosiers failed to win any of the doubles matches, falling to Arizona State, 5-2.\nLoring said while it may not have been the smartest scheduling, his team responded well and fought hard through the very worthwhile road trip.\n"I think it was a pretty good weekend, overall," Batty said. "It was really tough playing outside because we've been indoors for so long. It took a little while to get my timing back. I think by the end of the last match, I finally had it."\nWith four more ranked non-conference opponents before IU opens Big Ten play in March, the Hoosiers will get all the competition experience they can handle.\n"This is my 27th season (at IU), and this may be toughest the Big Ten has ever been," Loring said.