IU women's tennis is riding a four-match win streak into Big Ten play, and the Hoosiers will travel to take on the Iowa Hawkeyes on Saturday for the first conference match of the season.
IU is 9-5 on the season and has played 13 of its 14 matches at home. IU's only away match was at Tennessee, where the team lost 5-0. IU Coach Ramiro Azcui said playing on the road is a clear disadvantage but can't be used as an excuse.
“It takes you out of your comfort zone, but this team has responded to every challenge that has been put in front of them, and they are excited for this match,” Azcui said.
Senior Paula Gutierrez said the Iowa team, along with its fans, is very loud and that IU will have to stay composed and not get shaken by the noise.
The Hawkeyes are 10-1 on the season and 6-0 at home. Iowa's only loss came to another Big Ten team, No. 38-ranked Maryland, 5-2.
Azcui said Iowa is a big-hitting team. That’s nothing new to the Hoosiers, though, because they have faced their fair share of big hitters already this season, like Washingon State, which beat IU. Gutierrez said she and her teammates just need to stick to their games.
“We know they are going to hit some winners but they are also going to give us some errors too," Gutierrez said. "So we just have to wait for our moment and be patient.”
Not every team in the conference makes the Big Ten Tournament, so every conference match is vital. Azcui and the team said they are excited to start the Big Ten race, and emphasized that a win against Iowa would go a long way toward starting IU out on the right track.
Azcui said the reason the team had such hard non-conference opponents was to help prepare itself for its Big Ten slate. Gutierrez said the team's recent run of success against those difficult opponents has the Hoosiers feeling confident.
"Even in the losses to Notre Dame and Kentucky we played really good," Gutierrez said. "So, we think that has gotten us ready for these matches.”
Last weekend the Hoosiers were at full strength for the first time this season. Azcui said he is not sure who he is going to put in the lineup Saturday, but noted it’s nice everyone is getting healthy at the right time.
“We were really scared about injuries,” Gutierrez said. “At one point in the season if we had one more player out we would’ve had to give up a point to the other team. Now, with everybody getting back we are way more confident.”
Play will begin at 11 a.m. Saturday. This match will be played inside due to inclement weather, but the Hoosiers are used to it because they have played all 14 of their matches inside thus far.
