Indiana University Athletics
Indiana University
Iowa
Hoosiers Fall in Heartbreaker to Hawkeyes
4/16/2006 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
April 16, 2006
Results | Photo Gallery
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - The No. 35 Indiana women's tennis team fell in a four-hour battle to No. 37 Iowa, 4-3, on April 16's Senior Day. After rain forced doubles indoors, the two Big Ten foes headed outside where IU came up just short of four singles wins needed for the victory. The Hoosiers drop to 16-6 overall and 6-2 in the Big Ten, while the Hawkeyes improved to 15-7 overall and 7-1 in conference play.
"The difference may have been playing the doubles matches inside," Indiana head coach Lin Loring said. "It helped that we played singles outside. Indoors is much more conducive to a power-hitting team like Iowa. I was pleased with the way we fought back in singles. It's hard to take four singles matches from a team that is so similar to us. We put ourselves in a position to win, and I felt either team could have won today. The doubles point was critical."
For only the fifth time this season, Indiana could not pull out the doubles point. The No. 54 pair of senior Sarah Batty and junior Laura McGaffigan fell to Iowa's Meg Racette and Jacqueline Lee at the No. 1 position in an 8-6 battle that Indiana led most of the way. Batty and McGaffigan are 17-5 on the season.
The No. 3 team of freshman Marah Calvo and junior Cecile Perton lost in another close match to Milica Veselinovic and Krissy Dowlin. The two teams traded points until the Hawkeyes pulled away in the middle of the match to earn the 8-4 win and seal the doubles point for Iowa. Calvo and Perton drop to 1-3 on the year.
Freshman Sigrid Fischer and sophomore Brianna Williams lost in the No. 2 slot to Hillary Mintz and Kayla Berry in a close tiebreaker. With the match tied at seven all, the Hoosiers battled hard to eventually fall 10-8 in the tiebreaker, giving the Hawkeye team the 8-7 victory. Fischer and Williams are now 15-6 this season.
After the April showers passed, the matched moved outside to the Varsity Tennis Courts where the determined Hoosiers were not going to give the Hawkeyes the win without a fight.
Freshman Alba Berdala blanked Dowlin at the No. 5 position to tie the score at one. Berdala's 6-0, 6-0 win improved her record to 12-10.
Batty, IU's only senior, lost a tough battle to No. 37 Racette, 6-3, 6-1 to give Iowa the 2-1 advantage in the match. Batty drops to 13-9 on the season at the No. 1 singles slot.
Perton earned her 15th win of the dual season by defeating Merel Beelen in straight 6-3 sets to tie the match once again at the No. 6 position. Perton is now 15-6.
The Hawkeyes took the 3-2 lead in the match when Fischer fell to Lee, 6-4, 6-0 at the No. 4 spot. Fischer's record heading into the last weekend of conference play is 17-5. McGaffigan, playing at the No. 2 singles position, tied the score for the third time in the match with a thrilling three-set win over Mintz, 6-2, 2-6, 6-3. McGaffigan improved her record to 14-8.
Despite a gutsy performance at the No. 3 slot, Williams could not overcome Veselinovic. Iowa sealed the 4-3 win with a 3-6, 6-2, 6-4 victory.
"I was pleased with the way Brianna (Williams) fought," Loring said. "She played with a lot of heart out there today. She was cramping pretty bad in the second set, but she did not give up and made it a close match to the very end."
Indiana rounds out the regular season in Michigan with Michigan State on Saturday, April 22 at 10 a.m., before taking on No. 37 Michigan the following day at 11 a.m.
No. 37 Iowa def. No. 35 Indiana
April 16, 2006
Indiana Tennis Center - Doubles
Varsity Tennis Courts - Singles
Bloomington, Ind.
Singles Results
No. 1 - #37 Meg Racette (IOWA) def. Sarah Batty (IU), 6-3, 6-1
No. 2 - Laura McGaffigan (IU) def. Hillary Mintz (IOWA), 6-2, 2-6, 6-3
No. 3 - Milica Veselinovic (IOWA) def. Brianna Williams (IU), 3-6, 6-2, 6-4
No. 4 - Jacqueline Lee (IOWA) def. Sigrid Fischer (IU), 6-4, 6-0
No. 5 - Alba Berdala (IU) def. Krissy Dowlin (IOWA), 6-0, 6-0
No. 6 - Cecile Perton (IU) def. Merel Beelen (IOWA), 6-3, 6-3
Doubles Results
No. 1- Racette/Lee (IOWA) def. #57 Batty/McGaffigan (IU), 8-6
No. 2 - Mintz/Berry (IOWA) def. Williams/Fischer (IU), 8-7 (10-8)
No. 3 - Veselinovic/Dowlin (IOWA) def. Marah Calvo/Perton (IU), 8-4
Players Mentioned
