Around Sports

Women’s Swimming and Diving
Smailis makes B cut at Last Chance meet

One week after claiming the Big Ten crown in Ann Arbor, Mich., the IU women’s swimming and diving team took to the pool once more, this time in a final attempt to qualify swimmers for the NCAA Championships beginning March 19.

Playing host to swimmers from Illinois, Cincinnati and the University of Indianapolis, IU swam five women in 11 events at the Last Chance Meet at the Counsilman-Billingsley Aquatic Center.

Junior Donna Smailis made a B cut for NCAAs in the 100-meter backstroke. Smailis was the only Hoosier to make an NCAA cut Saturday.

Smailis becomes the ninth Hoosier to make a B cut for the NCAA Championships. The team is looking to take about 13 swimmers to the NCAAs, IU coach Ray Looze said.

– By Kevin Loughery

Baseball
IU wins big in Tennessee invitational

After a loss to Ball State in the opening game of the Austin Peay Invitational, the IU baseball team was in need of a spark Sunday against Cleveland State.

They got it in the arm of junior pitcher Eric Arnett.

The Pataskala, Ohio, native gave up only one run on three hits in seven innings as IU (3-2) dominated the Vikings, 9-1. Arnett added nine strikeouts and moved to 2-0.

“I just went out there and threw strikes,” Arnett said. “Once I got out there, I started rolling. It was all about being aggressive and getting in the zone.”

Along with the defensive performance, the Hoosier hitters had a much-improved day at the plate. IU had a combined 16 hits off Cleveland State, led by freshman Alex Dickerson. The outfielder had three hits on the afternoon, including a three-run home run in the eighth inning.

While Sunday afternoon’s game was controlled entirely by the Hoosiers, it was anything but that in a 5-4 loss to Ball State on Friday. Despite a strong outing by IU junior pitcher Matt Bashore – who allowed only one run in six innings – the Cardinals struck late to pull out the victory. IU sophomore pitcher Matt Carr surrendered four runs after the seventh inning to earn the loss.

Nonetheless, Arnett is proud of the way his team finished the weekend.

“On Friday, we jumped out on (Ball State) and let them back in it,” he said. “We didn’t want to let that happen again.”

– By Greg Rosenstein

Softball
Team loses 5 weekend games to drop to 1-15

Unearned runs were the latest kryptonite of the IU softball team (1-15), which dropped all five of its weekend games in the DeMarini Invitational at California State Fullerton.

In an 8-7 loss to Oregon State, the Hoosiers allowed six unearned runs, including four in the top of the fifth inning. The four errors in the game allowed the Beavers to come back, as the Hoosiers released a 5-1 lead.

“That game was ours to win,” sophomore pitcher Sara Olsen said.  “There are things that we can learn from a game like that.”

Olsen let up two earned runs in four innings and did not walk any batters. She also helped herself early on, putting the Hoosiers ahead with a three-run home run in the top of the first.

Earlier in the day, Olsen delivered her second straight complete game in a 2-1 loss to Auburn. Both runs scored were unearned, and Olsen allowed only four hits. The two hits tallied by the Hoosiers were not enough to retrieve their second win of the season.
“We’re not going to give up,” Olsen said.

The Hoosiers will return to action March 13 at the USF-Under Armour Showcase in Clearwater, Fla.

 – By Connor O’Gara

Water Polo
No. 19 Hoosiers leave California with 4 wins

The IU water polo team’s hard work was finally rewarded this weekend with victories at the UC Santa Cruz Slugfest in Santa Cruz, Calif.

The Hoosiers, who improved to 5-6, beat UC Santa Cruz, Cal State Monterey Bay and Pacific on Saturday and finished the weekend by defeating Santa Clara on Sunday.

After Saturday’s last game, IU coach Barry King said the team played pretty well in its first three games.

King said the team managed to succeed even though it had to overcome some issues. IU had not played since the first weekend in February, when it dropped four matches in its first trip to California.

“Overall, given the elements, having to shake off the rust and the travel, I thought it was a B+,” King said.

The one thing King said was the biggest factor in picking up the wins was the defensive effort, which he thought was good all day.

“With a layoff like that, we tend to want to focus on playing good, solid defense and just get our opportunities off of that for offense,” King said.

– By Andrew Wyder

Women’s Tennis
Hoosiers upset 23rd-ranked Wake Forest

Upsets are big. Two upsets in one match are even bigger.

No. 44 IU trumped No. 23 Wake Forest, beating the Deacon Demons 4-3. Struggling with three losses in the past two weekends, the Hoosiers came into Saturday’s match with energy and a different focus.

“Before the match, we kind of got together in a circle and said together that we can do it, that we are going to be a team,” sophomore Katya Zapadalova said.

Winning four games of the 28 played, the morning did not start off well for the Hoosiers. Zapadalova and junior Lindsey Stuckey were swept 8-0, while senior Alba Berdala and sophomore Myriam Sopel picked up the best doubles result, losing 8-3.
 Wake Forest had a 1-0 lead after doubles play.

But singles action helped turn IU’s struggles around.

“We didn’t start out really well in doubles today, but we were really pumped up,” Zapadalova said. “Everyone gave 110 percent in every singles match. Everyone really had the will to win today.”

Winning in straight sets, Stuckey was off the court first to tie the score one all. After Berdala lost, giving the lead back to Wake Forest, senior Sigrid Fischer walked off with the next win, 6-2, 7-6 (8-6).

Down 4-1 in the third set, sophomore Charlotte Martin was able to pull ahead for the lead and the win at 3-2. Freshman Megan Matter came next with a three-set loss, making IU and Wake Forest’s matchup come down to the No. 1 singles match.

Zapadalova battled after a first-set loss to win the next two sets, not only winning the match for the Hoosiers but beating No. 59 Sasha Kulikova.

“You just have to go,” Zapadalova said. “Give your effort. Think mentally. Fight well, and cheer for your teammates. I think it was a really, really great team win for us.”

– By Stephanie Kuzydym

Men’s Tennis
Men dominate, sweep both regional foes

The cream and crimson took the dogs to the pound, winning both matches against the Southern Illinois Salukis and the Butler Bulldogs.

No. 59 IU opened play with two wins for the doubles point. The Hoosiers dominated SIU, winning four consecutive singles matches, all in straight sets. The Hoosiers won 6-1.

Freshman Maxime Armengaud finished first with a 6-1, 6-1 win. The loss of the morning came at No. 4 singles.

After winning the first set 6-4, freshman Jeremy Langer was unable to walk away with the win, losing 10-7 in the third set.

The match against Butler began the same, with IU earning the doubles victory. That victory set the tone for the singles matches, with six straight victories, including a three-set win from No. 116 Lachlan Ferguson. IU won 6-1.

– By Stephanie Kuzydym