April 24, 2005
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Behind inspired performances from three seniors on Senior Day, the Purdue women's tennis team picked up a 5-2 win over No. 49 Iowa in its regular-season finale Sunday at the Lafayette Sports Center. The 52nd-ranked Boilermakers improved to 9-12 overall and 6-4 in the Big Ten with the victory, and moved into a tie for fourth place in the final conference standings.
Iowa finished its regular season with a 13-8 overall record and a 7-3 Big Ten mark, good for third place.
Purdue head coach Mat Iandolo was pleased with how his Boilermakers, who beat Minnesota 7-0 on Saturday, finished the weekend.
"I thought we played well today and beat a very good team," Iandolo said. "I'm glad that we were able to send our seniors out on a high note."
Purdue's seniors played a major role in the successes of the weekend, including the victory over the Hawkeyes. In doubles, the senior pair of Lara Burgarello and Shawna Zuccarini teamed for an 8-3 win over Meg Racette and Milica Veselinovic at No. 1. Purdue wrapped up the doubles point with a 9-8 win by sophomore Hala Sufi and freshman Stephanie Beier at No. 2.
In singles, Zuccarini quickly took care of Anastasia Zhukova, surrendering a mere three games in a straight-set win at No. 3. Next off the court was sophomore Alyssa Rodriguez, who beat Hilary Tyler 6-2, 6-0 at No. 6.
Iowa finally got on the scoreboard at No. 1, as Racette knocked off Sufi in straight sets. But sophomore Stephanie Wooten soon afterwards put the final nail in the Hawkeyes' coffin, with a 6-4, 7-6 win over Hilary Mintz at No. 2.
Senior Amy Walgenbach added a victory for Purdue at No. 5, to give the Boilermakers their fifth point of the day. Walgenbach has won six straight matches.
Purdue next will compete at the Big Ten Championships. The Boilermakers' seeding depends upon the outcome of the Ohio State-Wisconsin and Illinois-Minnesota matches, for which results were unavailable as of 4 p.m., Sunday evening. The tournament is slated to begin Thursday, April 28, in East Lansing, Mich. The top five seeds receive first-round byes.
#52 Purdue 5, #49 Iowa 2
Singles
1. Meg Racette (I) def. #75 Hala Sufi (P) 7-6, 6-2
2. Stephanie Wooten (P) def. Hillary Mintz (I) 6-4, 7-6 *
3. Shawna Zuccarini (P) def. Anastasia Zhukova (I) 6-2, 6-1
4. Milica Veselinovic (I) def. Brooke Beier (P) 3-6, 7-5, 7-5
5. Amy Walgenbach (P) def. Jacqueline Lee (I) 4-6, 6-2, 6-3
6. Alyssa Rodriguez (P) def. Hilary Taylor (I) 6-2, 6-0
Doubles
1. Lara Burgarello/Zuccarini (P) def. Racette/Veselinovic (I) 8-3
2. Sufi/Beier (P) def. Tyler/Zhukova (I) 9-8
3. Lee/Mintz (I) def. Walgenbach/Wooten (P) 8-6
Order of singles finish: 3, 6, 1, 2, 5, 4
Order of doubles finish: 1, 3, 2
* Denotes match-clinching win.
Purdue: 9-12 (6-4 Big Ten)
Iowa: 13-8 (7-3 Big Ten)
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