April 10, 2005
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Freshman Brooke Beier lifted the 58th-ranked Purdue women's tennis team to a 4-3 win over Michigan State at the Varsity Tennis Courts on Sunday. The victory raised the rolling Boilermakers' overall record to 7-10 (4-2 Big Ten). The 62nd-ranked Spartans fell to 11-8 (1-6 Big Ten) with the loss.
In a match that lasted five hours and forty minutes, Beier was the last woman standing. The rookie held on for a 7-6, 2-6, 6-4 victory over Jessica Baron at No. 4.
Beier, who led 4-0 in the third set before dropping four straight games, admitted she had to fight off jitters to halt Baron's comeback.
"The nerves started setting in, but I knew the momentum would swing back," Beier said. "I just told myself that my team needed it, and I stepped up."
Purdue head coach Mat Iandolo did not seem to notice any shakiness in Beier's game down the stretch.
"I don't know how she stayed so calm. She kept it together," Iandolo said.
Purdue, as a team, kept it together after surrendering the doubles point. The Boilermakers, who came into the contest with an 0-7 record this season when being down 1-0, for the first time fought all the way back.
Sophomore Hala Sufi, ranked 99th, started the comeback with her sixth consecutive win, a 6-1, 6-0 dismantling of 121st-ranked Keri Thompson at No. 1.
Freshman Stephanie Wooten followed with a 6-4, 6-2 win over Christine Bader at No. 2. Next off the court was senior Amy Walgenbach, who beat Karen Gustafson 6-4, 6-3 at No. 6.
Michigan State got back on the scoreboard with victories at No. 3 and No. 5 to tie the score at 3-3, setting up Beier's heroics.
The match lived up to Iandolo's expectations.
"We knew this would be a tough match because they're a competitive team with nothing to lose, and we have a lot to lose," Iandolo said.
Iandolo was happy to see his team dodge the bullet by rallying from a slow start.
"We choked in doubles, but we came back with a lot of heart and soul in singles to take control," Iandolo said.
Purdue, which picked up its first weekend sweep of conference opponents since April 2003, when it beat Michigan and Michigan State on back-to-back days, has now won five of its last six matches and four in a row in conference play. The Boilermakers will put that Big Ten streak on the line next weekend, when it travels to Northwestern and Wisconsin. The Wildcats currently are ranked second in the nation.
#58 Purdue 4, #62 Michigan State 3
Singles
1. #99 Hala Sufi (P) def. #121 Keri Thompson (MS) 6-1, 6-0
2. Stephanie Wooten (P) def. Christine Bader (MS) 6-4, 6-2
3. Pascale Schnitzer (MS) def. Shawna Zuccarini (P) 7-6, 6-4
4. Brooke Beier (P) def. Jessica Baron (MS) 7-6, 2-6, 6-4 *
5. Sarah Andrews (MS) def. Alyssa Rodriguez (P) 6-4, 7-6, 6-3
6. Amy Walgenbach (P) def. Karen Gustafson (MS) 6-4, 6-3
Doubles
1. Lara Bugarello/Zuccarini (P) def. Thompson/Bader (MS) 8-6
2. Andrews/Schnitzer (MS) def. Beier/Wooten (P) 8-5
3. Gustafson/Baron (MS) def. Rodriguez/Sufi (P) 9-7
Order of singles finish: 1, 2, 6, 3, 5, 4
Order of doubles finish: 1, 2, 3
* Denotes match-clinching win.
Purdue: 7-10 (4-2 Big Ten)
Michigan State: 11-8 (1-6 Big Ten)
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