April 29, 1999
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - The Purdue women's tennis team is off to a good start at the 1999 Big Ten Conference Championship tournament after knocking out ninth-seeded Michigan by a score of 4-2 in first-round action today. Purdue, the No. 8 seed, improves to 8-15, while the Wolverines finish the season with a 4-17 mark. The Boilermakers will next face top-seeded Northwestern (15-4, 9-1 Big Ten) on April 30 at 10 a.m. in East Lansing, Mich.
"I think in the history of the Big Ten tournament, these were the best No. 8 and No. 9 seeds that have had to play," Purdue coach Mat Iandolo said. "This is a great win for us and we're glad to be alive in the tournament. We hope to be playing a few more matches before this thing is over."
Junior Jennifer Embry, who is ranked 49th in the nation in singles, extended her winning streak to four after rallying from a first set loss to defeat Brooke Hart 3-6, 6-1, 6-2 at No. 1. Embry has now collected her 67th career singles win and is tied for sixth-place on the all-time wins list at Purdue.
Junior Shannon Taheny and sophomore Lisa Walgenbach picked up the final two singles victories for the Boilermakers. Taheny downed Szandra Fuzesi in straight sets, 6-2, 6-2 at No. 3, while Walgenbach conquered Jen Vaughn 6-1, 6-3 at No. 5. Freshman Missy Wright's match at No. 4 was suspended, as the outcome of the contest was already decided.
In doubles, the 22nd-ranked duo of Embry and Wright snapped a two-match skid with an 8-5 win over Jen Boylan and Danielle Lund at No. 1. Taheny and feshman Lynsey Fick were also victorious at No. 2 with a 9-8 (7-3 tiebreaker) victory over Hart and Vaughn.
The Boilermakers will next face the Wildcats, who defeated Purdue 7-0 in West Lafayette on April 17.
"It's an opportunity for us to score a big upset," Iandolo said. "I think we're capable of doing it."
Purdue 4, Michigan 2
SINGLES
1. Jennifer Embry (PU) def. Brooke Hart (UM) 3-6, 6-1, 6-22. Danielle Lund (UM) def. Erika Quebe (PU) 6-1, 6-13. Shannon Taheny (PU) def. Szandra Fuzesi (UM) 6-2, 6-24. Missy Wright (PU) vs. Jen Boylan (UM) 3-6, 6-4, 3-2 susp.5. Lisa Walgenbach (PU) def. Jen Vaughn (UM) 6-3, 6-16. Alison Sinclair (UM) def. Lynsey Fick (PU) 6-1, 6-3DOUBLES
1. Embry/Wright (PU) def. Boylan/Lund (UM) 8-52. Taheny/Fick (PU) def. Hart/Vaughn (UM) 9-83. Sinclair/Fuzesi (UM) def. Quebe/Walgenbach (PU) 8-5