Women’s tennis kicks off season with decisive wins

The team dedicated the 2010 season to Assistant Coach Karie Schlukebir, who passed away Jan. 16.

The FIU women’s tennis team (2-0) opened its home schedule with a 5-2 win over Troy Trojans Jan. 24 and  7-0 win over FAU Jan. 21 at Modesto A. Maidique Campus.

Before the Jan. 24 game, the 2009 SunBelt Conference champions wore purple to honor Assistant Coach Karie Schlukebir, who passed away at the age of 29 after an 11-year battle with cancer. After a moment of silence, the Panthers dedicated the 2010 season to Schlukebir – their motto: “Heart. Believe. Fight.”

“Overall, it was a great start to the season,” said Head Coach Melissa Applebaum. “It was important for us to go out there and get the nerves out of our system with this being an emotional week for us.”

FIU returns all six student-athletes from the 2009 squad that helped FIU claim its fourth conference championship in the previous five years and earn a bid to the NCAA Tournament.

The No. 32-ranked team returns to the courts on Friday, Jan. 29, when they take on the Southern Methodist University Mustangs in Gainesville, Fla., as part of the ITA Indoor Championships. First serve is set for 1 p.m.

Check out the team by clicking on the multimedia slide show below.