By Nicholas Moreano
The Iowa women’s tennis team will try to avoid losing back-to-back weekends by way of sweep when it hosts No. 3 Ohio State at 6 p.m. today and Penn State at 10 a.m. on April 9 at the Hawkeye Tennis & Recreation Complex.
After losing to Illinois and Northwestern last weekend, Iowa head coach Sasha Schmid talked about how important practice becomes, given that the team travels a majority of the time.
“We only get two to three days a week to practice, and we have to get every opportunity to get better,” she said. “I’m just excited for us to have that as our No. 1 priority, every day giving our all in practice.”
That mentality is what the Hawkeyes need to have resonate with them throughout the season, and for junior Montana Crawford, she has no doubt whether the team will do just that.
“I look forward to just getting back at it, because I know there were so many good things I was doing during my match and that our team was doing, especially against Northwestern,” she said. “I think we can just build on what we have been doing so far.”
It will start with the Buckeyes (19-2) tonight. This will be the fourth ranked team the Hawkeyes (13-5) have faced this season, and three of their five losses have come from those ranked opponents — Maryland, Florida International, and Northwestern.
In the all-time series, the Hawkeyes own a one-match lead on the Buckeyes, 23-22. It will be a challenge for the home team to keep that lead because the Buckeyes are on a five-game winning streak, are undefeated against conference opponents, and are 3-0 on the road.
Two days later, the Hawkeyes will face the Nittany Lions (5-10). The Hawkeyes also lead in that all-time series, 25-6. Unlike the Buckeyes, the Nittany Lions have struggled to win on the road this season, posting a 1-5 record.
The Hawkeyes, who are 7-2 at home this season, lost their first two matches last weekend, but they will have the opportunity to rebound this weekend. For the Hawkeyes to do that, it starts in doubles, and Schmid believes that is where the team needs to improve to be successful.
“I think definitely doubles, we got to continue to play aggressive and really just get comfortable in doubles,” she said. “That is something that we can always work on in practice.”
Last weekend, Schmid changed her doubles lineup, pairing sophomore Adorabol Huckleby and freshman Elise van Heuvelen at the No. 1 spot, juniors Anastasia Reimchen and Crawford at No. 2, and junior Zoe Douglas and sophomore Kristen Thoms at No. 3. The lineups were able to win the doubles point against Illinois but fell short against Northwestern.
Schmid did say she likes that lineup, but if an injury or chemistry develops with another doubles duo, she will make an adjustment. It will be interesting to see if Schmid makes any more moves this season with five matches left to go before the Big Ten Championships.