Indiana University Athletics
Indiana Set for Matchup with Kansas
1/19/2006 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
Jan. 19, 2006
Weekly Notes - Kansas
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BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - The No. 32 Indiana women's tennis team is set to take on Kansas on Sunday, Jan. 22 at the Varsity Tennis Center. The match is slated for 10 a.m. Currently, the Hoosiers boast a 2-0 record with a pair of wins over Miami (Ohio) and No. 54 Western Michigan on Jan. 15.
Coach's Corner
Indiana head coach Lin Loring shares his thoughts on the weekend's matchup.
On Kansas:
LL: "This is the best team Kansas has had in 10 years. We expect it to be a very close match."
On preparation for the Kansas match:
LL: "We've been working hard this week to keep improving upon the weaknesses that were uncovered in our two matches last weekend."
On what IU has to do to claim their third victory of the season:
LL: "The doubles point will be very important because I don't think either team can dominate in singles."
Last Time Out
The Hoosiers opened the 2006 slate with an impressive 2-0 start. Indiana swept Miami (Ohio) on Jan. 15, 7-0. Later that day, IU returned to the court to face Western Michigan. Led by senior Sarah Batty's impressive play at the No. 1 singles and doubles positions, the Hoosiers topped the Broncos, 5-2. For the day, Indiana did not lose a doubles match. In the No. 3 singles slot against the RedHawks, sophomore Brianna Williams blanked Kelly Douple, 6-0, 6-0, before winning again at No. 4 singles against Western Michigan's Priyanka Parekh. Junior Laura McGaffigan was victorious in both her matches at the No. 2 singles position as well as in the No. 1 doubles spot with Batty. Freshman Sigrid Fischer opened her career as a Hoosier perfect in dual play.
Hoosier-Jayhawk Series
The Hoosiers have met the Jayhawks on four occastions with Indiana holding the 3-1 advantage in the series. The two teams last squared off on Feb. 26, 1993 at the National Indoor Championship. In a closely contested match, IU prevailed by a score of 5-4.
Scouting the Jayhawks
Kansas opens their spring campaign with the No. 32 Hoosiers at 10 a.m., followed by Ball State at 3 p.m.
The Jayhawks are coming off a 4-14 season. In the fall, Kansas holds a combined record of 36-42 in singles and a team doubles mark of 24-20. The Jayhawks return six letterwinners to their lineup and welcome two newcomers. In fall play, Brittany Brown and No. 79 ranked Ksenia Bukina led Kansas in singles with seven singles wins a piece. In preseason doubles action, Christine Skoda and Brown combined for an 8-4 record, while teammates Edina Horvath and Lauren Hommell boast a 7-6 mark entering dual play.
The Hoosiers have faced a Jayhawk opponent eight times in the fall. In the eight meetings, IU picked up six wins.
Tough Road Ahead
The 2006 Indiana women's tennis schedule is one of the toughest in the country. Along with a grueling Big Ten schedule, the Hoosiers are set to face a total of 12 ranked opponents. In the month of January, IU defeated No. 54 Western Michigan (1/15) and will face t-15 Duke on Jan. 29.
IU in the Rankings
The 2006 Indiana women's tennis team will open its 2006 season ranked in the top 50 of the ITA's rankings. As a team, IU is ranked No. 32, four spots higher than their final rank. Senior captain Sarah Batty kicks off her final campaign as a Hoosier with a No. 98 ranking. Junior Laura McGaffigan earned her first national ranking at the No. 100 slot and in doubles the pair is ranked No. 37.
In the first ITA midwest regional rankings, four Hoosiers picked up singles rankings and one doubles pair earned a top 30 nod. Batty will begin her final season as a Hoosier in with a No. 12 ranking. Sophomore Brianna Williams earned a No. 20 ranking, followed behind by McGaffigan at No. 22 and Berdala at No. 28. In doubles, the talented duo of Batty and McGaffigan earned a No. 28 regional ranking to kick off the season.
Loring Nears Another Milestone
This spring, head coach Lin Loring, who is in his 29th season at IU, looks to notch his 300th career Big Ten win. Currently, Loring holds a 296-60 record in conference play. Additionally, Loring is the winningest coach in NCAA women's tennis history.
Who's Next?
The Hoosiers continue their five-match home stand with another double-header match against highly-ranked Duke at 10 a.m. and Ball State at 3 p.m. at the Varsity Tennis Center.
