Hoosiers enjoy solid home weekend

The tennis balls were flying at IU all weekend long during the 2008 Hoosier Classic.
The IU women’s tennis team played host to Kansas State, Mississippi State, Vanderbilt, Ohio State, Purdue and Indiana State to mark the Hoosiers’ first home tournament of two this fall season.

Day one of competition resulted in six victories for the Hoosiers – three singles matches and three doubles wins.

Senior Alba Berdala and sophomore Maria Guerreiro won their doubles match to advance in their flight in an exciting tie-breaker match that ended 9-8. Senior Sigrid Fischer and her doubles partner, sophomore Katya Zapadalova, won their match 8-6, while junior Lindsey Stuckey and sophomore Myriam Sopel also won their match 8-4.

Friday’s competition also included singles matches, in which Guerreiro, Stuckey and Charlotte Martin all clinched victories.

IU coach Lin Loring was pleased with the team’s performance that day.
“I thought overall we played very well (on day one),” Loring said. “It’s very good competition at this tournament.”

Saturday, the Hoosiers increased their tally even more when Berdala and Guerreiro notched two more doubles wins in order to win the “Cream” side of the doubles flight. They first beat Vanessa Cottin and Mariya Slupska from Kansas State in a 7-5 tie-breaker and then defeated Hannah Blatt and Keilly Ulrey of Vanderbilt, 8-2.

Every other doubles tandem won at least one more match Saturday as well. Sopel and Stuckey advanced to the “Crimson” doubles flight finals before losing 8-6, while Martin and senior Stephanie Heller trounced a doubles team from Purdue, 8-1.

The Hoosiers were happy with their doubles performances after switching up partners after the Georgia Invitational.

“We could see an improvement in doubles,” Berdala said. “We were communicating better and getting along better. We are playing with new people and we are doing great.”

Saturday also had singles matches taking place, and the team performed well in those as well. Heller, Guerreiro and Zapadalova all competed tenaciously and went into a third-set 10-point tie-breaker to win. Martin and Heller both won later matches in straight sets, while Fischer’s match also went to a 10-point tie-breaker before the Hoosier nabbed a 13-11 win.

Although members of the team agreed the competition was better at their last invitational in Georgia, they still faced some inspired players.

“Overall, we faced better teams in Georgia, but it was tough competition here,” Fischer said. “It was hard to match the intensity on the court. The teams are so motivated, and everyone wants to be here.”

Sunday concluded play at the Hoosier Classic with one more singles match for every player. Fischer won the match in straight sets because her opponent retired after sustaining an injury.

Stuckey won her final match for the tournament in dramatic fashion once again, by going to a 10-point tie-breaker before pulling out the victory.

Heller won in straight sets, and Sopel was the last match on the courts to finish, as she capped the tournament with yet another straight-set victory.

Berdala said the team was happy with the results of the tournament.

“It’s not about winning and losing, its about improving,” Berdala said. “We want to say that we played smart and we got to take something out of the matches, which we did. We won more matches and played better.”