Women beat KU

The Hoosiers took the courts Sunday against the visiting University of Kansas Jayhawks and cruised to a 5-2 win, improving their record to 3-0.\nIU's depth at singles played a large role in the outcome of the match as Kansas boasted a pair of talented Russians at the top of its lineup, including nationally ranked Ksenia Bukina.\n"We knew we were going to have two very tough matches at the top two (singles positions)," said IU coach Lin Loring.\nWith IU's No. 1 singles player Sarah Batty and No. 2 Laura McGaffigan facing tough opponents, the remaining Hoosiers stepped up to seal the win. Brianna Williams remained perfect in singles play on the year with a straight-set win over the Jayhawks' Christine Skoda at No. 3. Freshmen Alba Berdala and Sigrid Fischer followed up with dominant wins at the No.4 and 5 spots, 6-1, 6-2 and 6-2, 6-2, respectively. Cecile Perton also came through for the Hoosiers, defeating Kansas's Brittany Brown, 6-2, 6-3.\n"I was pleased with the way those four girls went out and kicked (their opponents) off the court," Loring said.\nThe Jayhawks' Elizaveta Avdeeva proved to be too much for McGaffigan, winning 6-3, 6-4, while Batty battled to force a tie-breaker after losing the first set to No. 79 Bukina, 6-4. In the tie-breaker, Batty hit a forehand-winner to lead 2-1, but Bukina fought back to take the lead and ran away with the match, winning the tie-breaker 10-4. \n"That wasn't a surprise," Loring said of the losses. "Those two Russian girls are very good players."\nIU continued its doubles dominance -- the Hoosiers are 9-0 on the season in doubles play. The tightest match at the No. 3 spot featured Berdala and Perton against Bukina and Brown. The Hoosier duo triumphed, 8-5.\n"We expected some trouble at that match," Loring said. "That was the one (match) I was most pleased about."\nBatty and McGaffigan took care of Skoda and Adveeda, 8-1. Williams and Fischer also won handily, 8-2.\n"Considering this is our first big match of the season and there was more pressure on us, I think we did well," Williams said.\nThe Hoosiers will play two matches Sunday against No. 14 Duke and Ball State at the Varsity Tennis Center, beginning at 10 a.m.