April 28, 2000
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - The title run came to end for the seventh-seeded Purdue women's tennis team today, as the Boilermakers dropped a gut-wrenching 4-2 decision to second-seeded Illinois in the Big Ten Championship tournament on the Varsity Tennis Courts in Ann Arbor, Mich. Yesterday, the Old Gold and Black defeated 10th-seeded Penn State, 4-2. With the loss, the No. 55-ranked Boilers conclude their first season of the new millennium with an 11-13 overall record, while Illinois improves to 12-11.
Purdue got into a hole early this afternoon, surrendering the doubles point by losing the No. 2 and No. 3 matches. The Boiler duo of senior's Jennifer Embry and Shannon Taheny picked up a win at No. 1 doubles posting an 8-5 win over the team of Brooke Ferney and Natascha Loebnitz. The No. 19th ranked doubles team picked up its 24th win and seventh Big Ten victory in the match.
The Boilermakers needed four singles victories to win the match and were on their way as Embry and freshman Melissa Iqbal picked up wins at the top of the lineup. Embry continued her strong overall play with a convincing 6-0, 6-4 win over Eldina Fazlic at No. 1 singles. Melissa Iqbal followed her lead by winning at No. 3 singles 7-6 (3), 6-2 over Ferney. That would be all Purdue could muster, as they dropped the last three singles matches on the day. Purdue also got a strong effort from junior Erika Quebe, who lost a tough three-set match to Loebnitz, 2-6, 6-1, 6-2.
ILLINOIS 4, PURDUE 2
SINGLES1. Jennifer Embry (PU) def. Eldina Fazlic (IL), 6-0, 6-42. Shannon Taheny (PU) vs. Simone Kung (IL) -- abandoned3. Melissa Igbal (PU) def. Brooke Ferney (IL), 7-6 (3), 6-24. Natascha Loebnitz (IL) def. Erika Quebe (PU), 2-6, 6-1, 6-25. Carla Rosenberg (IL) def. Lisa Walgenbach (PU), 7-6 (3), 6-26. Natalia Manasova (IL) def. Lynsey Fick (PU), 6-3, 6-2
DOUBLES1. Embry/Taheny (PU) def. Ferney/Loebnitz, 8-52. Kung/Michelle Webb (IL) def. Igbal/Fick, 9-73. Manasova/Rosenberg (IL) def. Walgenbach/Quebe, 8-3