March 9, 2002
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - The Purdue women's tennis team continued to ride its momentum today, picking up a 5-2 victory over No. 35 Illinois at the Lafayette Sports Center. This is the 59th-ranked Boilermakers' first win over the Fighting Illini since 1998, and gives them their third-straight victory. Purdue is now 4-4 overall and 2-0 in the Big Ten.
Purdue head coach Mat Iandolo was thrilled with the win, which he feels revealed the character of his team.
"This win has been a long time coming," Iandolo said. "We feel like we've been so close over the last few years but we just haven't been able to get over the top. We did that today, and I think that speaks volumes about the type of players we have and the direction we're headed."
The Boilermakers got things going in doubles. Junior Melissa Iqbal and freshman Lara Burgarello turned in an 8-5 victory at No. 3, while junior Missy Wright and sophomore Gretchen Haynor combined for a 9-7 win at No. 1.
Purdue needed to win three of the four singles matches for the team victory. The first to deliver was Haynor, who won after her opponent, Illinois' Cynthia Goulet, retired due to an injury.
Next up was Iqbal, who came through with a monumental 7-6, 6-3 win over Jennifer McGaffigan, the 2001 conference freshman of the year, at No. 1.
"Iqbal's win was nothing short of awesome," Iandolo said. "McGaffigan is quite possibly the best player in our league, and Melissa just got after her."
After Burgarello and freshman Shawna Zuccarini dropped matches at No. 4 and No. 5, it came down to sophomore Melissa Woods and freshman Amy Walgenbach. Purdue needed just one of those players to win, and both did, with Woods delivering the clincher with a 6-2, 2-6, 6-2 defeat of Eva Choe at No. 3.
"Woods winning the clinching point in a hotly-contested match showed a lot of guts," Iandolo said. "She really came up big for us."
Walgenbach sealed the match with a 6-4, 7-6 win over Eldina Fazlic at No. 6.
Purdue next faces No. 13 Northwestern, which took on Indiana in Bloomington today. The Boilermakers have beaten the Wildcats only once in school history, also in 1998.
"Northwestern is the best team in our league," Iandolo said. "We are going to have to use today's win as momentum going into that match."
The Purdue-Northwestern match will be held at the Lafayette Sports Center on Sunday, March 10 at 11 a.m.
PURDUE 5, ILLINOIS 2Singles1. Melissa Iqbal (P) def. Jennifer McGaffigan (I) 7-6, 6-32. Gretchen Haynor (P) def. Cynthia Goulet (I) 6-3, 4-1 ret.3. Melissa Woods (P) def. Eva Choe (I) 6-2, 2-6, 6-24. Tiffany Eklov (I) def. Lara Burgarello (P) 6-4, 6-35. Kate Boomershine (I) def. Shawna Zuccarini (P) 7-5, 6-36. Amy Walgenbach (P) def. Eldina Fazlic (I) 6-4, 7-6Doubles1. Missy Wright/Haynor (P) def. Michelle Webb/Goulet (I) 9-72. McGaffigan/Choe (I) def. Fick/Woods (P) 9-73. Iqbal/Burgarello (P) def. Boomershine/Eklov (I) 8-5
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