The Marquette women's tennis team split its home matches this weekend with a 7-0 loss against nationally ranked Iowa and a close victory over Bowling Green.
Even though the women were aware their opponent was ranked No. 57, it did not affect their focus and preparation.
"We prepared the same way, like it was any other match," sophomore Francina Bonnellysaid. "You have to treat every team the same. Mentally, we knew that Iowa was ranked and going to be tough, but when it comes down to it, rankings don't really matter."
The women entered doubles play mentally prepared, but they were unable to capture the point.
Sophomore Callan Smith and freshman Maria Calbeto were defeated by Iowa's Megan Racette and Hillary Tyler in No. 1 doubles, 8-1. Bonnelly and freshman Elsemieke Dokter put up an impressive fight against Jacqueline Lee and Hillary Mintz in No. 2 doubles, but were unable to clinch the win, losing 9-7.
"We needed to step up, and we just didn't," Bonnelly said. "We did not win the important points that we needed and we let the win slip away. We just made silly mistakes that cost us the match."
In No. 3 doubles sophomore Andrea Bukacek and freshman Erin Watkins were defeated by Morgan Tuttle and Anastasia Zhukova, 8-3.
"It's hard when you don't win the doubles point," said head coach Jody Bronson.
"We still need to become stronger doubles players and just play smarter."
The Golden Eagles (3-5) didn't have any better luck in singles play.
Smith was defeated in No. 1 singles by Racette, 6-0, 6-2. In the No. 2 spot Calbeto was knocked off by Mintz, 6-0, 6-2. Dokter was defeated 6-0, 6-1 by Zhukova in No. 3 singles and Watkins fell to Milica Veselinovic 6-1, 6-2 at the No. 4 spot.
Bonnelly was beaten in No. 5 singles by Tyler 6-1, 6-2. In No. 6 singles Bukacek was defeated by Lee 6-1, 6-1.
The Golden Eagles ended the weekend on a high note, defeating Bowling Green 4-3 and capturing the doubles point.
At No. 1 doubles Smith and Calbeto defeated Heidi Romer and Susie Schoenberger, 8-5. Bonnelly and Dokter knocked off the Falcons' Jenna Nussbaum and Ashley Jakupcin in No. 2 doubles in a close match, 9-7.
"We really stepped up our play this match," Bonnelly said. "We won the doubles point so our team's spirit was high going into singles. We should have played better but it was a good match to win."
In No. 3 singles Dokter defeated Nussbaum 7-6, 6-4. Watkins knocked off Bowling Green's Romer at the No. 4 spot 6-4, 6-1. In No. 5 singles Bonnelly beat Andrea Meister 6-2, 6-4.
Marquette will be on the road for its next eight matches, traveling to Indiana this weekend to take on Indiana University and Louisville.
This article appeared in The Marquette Tribune on Feb. 22 2005.