The ISU women’s tennis team hits the road again for its third tournament of the season Friday at Northwestern in Evanston, Ill.

The team has had a good season so far and hopes to continue its success this weekend at Northwestern, said coach Michele Conlon.

The Wildcat Invitational will include teams from Depaul, Illinois-Chicago, Louisville, Ohio State, Wisconsin and Western Michigan.

The Cyclones will be playing in four singles and two doubles brackets.

Junior Jill Palen will be playing in the No. 1 singles bracket. Senior Beth Chermel and freshman Kara Hickey will be playing in the No. 2 singles bracket. Sophomore Chrissy Derouin and senior Charlotte Ljungkrantz will be filling the No. 3 singles bracket.

Playing doubles will be Palen and junior Eve Soriano in the No. 1 bracket and Chermel and Hickey in the No. 2 bracket.

“There will be a lot of great tennis comparable to what we see in the Big 12,” Conlon said.

Conlon said the goal of this tournament is to work on individual play. The fall season helps the players focus on individual components in their games, she said.

“I would rather see a player work on a specific aspect of their game in a match and lose than stand back and do nothing to improve their game,” she said. “One of our goals is to keep winning and keep up the confidence and momentum that they have created through the next two tournaments,” Conlon said.

One of the pleasant surprises for the Cyclones this season has been Hickey.

“Kara has been a perfect addition to our team,” Conlon said. “She has great potential and is strong and explosive on the court. Hickey is really fun to work with as a player, and I enjoy her a lot.”

Hickey has finished strong in each tournament so far this season.

In the Lloyd Stockstad Invitational, Hickey went undefeated the first day of the tournament. At the Missouri Tournament in Columbia, Mo., she defeated Arkansas’ Audrey Bordeleau, 6-1, 4-6, 6-1, and Kansas State’s Viviana Yrureta, 6-1, 7-6.

Before choosing Iowa State, Hickey considered attending Missouri, Ball State and Valparaiso before finding her home in Ames.

“I chose Iowa State because I loved the tennis team, the campus is beautiful and their statistics program is sound,” she said.

Her adjustment from high school to the collegiate level has been positive. Playing collegiate tennis is different because there are no freebies, Hickey said.

“There are good people at every position and you have to come ready to compete every day,” she said.

Hickey said she has made many adjustments this semester, but her biggest adjustment is being away from home and not having her parents easily accessible.

Her father turned her on to tennis when she was only 7 years old, she said.

“My dad has been my biggest inspiration in developing my tennis game. I have always considered my dad as my coach,” she said.

Her father traveled with her to all of her tournaments during her young tennis career and has been her main hitting partner and drill sergeant, she said.

As a tennis player, Hickey said she believes her biggest strength is her backhand.

“Practice and confidence helped my backhand when I was younger,” Hickey said.