Feb. 17, 2006
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - The Purdue women's tennis team won its third straight match with a Friday home victory over Rice. The 40th-ranked Boilermakers handed the 57th-ranked Owls a 6-1 defeat at the Lafayette Sports Center.
Purdue started the match strong, taking two of the three doubles contests for the first point of the day. Finishing first was the senior-sophomore pair of Brittany Minna and Stephanie Wooten, which posted an 8-6 win over Tiffany Lee and Christine Dao at No. 3. Sophomore Brooke Beier and freshman Randi Schuler clinched the point with an 8-3 win at No. 2 over Medeja Egic and Kimberley Patenaude.
The Boilermakers cruised through singles, as Schuler, Beier and freshman Mallory Voelker collected straight-set wins at Nos. 2, 3 and 4 to give Purdue the four points necessary for the team victory. Junior Hala Sufi, ranked 29th in the nation, added a win over No. 31 Blair DiSesa at No. 1, while Wooten enjoyed a comeback win at No. 5.
Rice's lone singles victory came at No. 6, with Patenaude winning 4-6, 7-6, 1-0 (10-3) over Purdue freshman Anna Dzeva.
Purdue head coach Mat Iandolo complimented his team's fast start.
"I thought getting the doubles point was crucial in this match," Iandolo said. "That one-point lead gave us a lot of confidence and momentum heading into singles."
Purdue (3-2) will have a day off before it tries for its fourth consecutive win Sunday against No. 19 Kentucky. The Boilermakers have not won four matches in a row since the 2003 season, and have not beaten the Wildcats since 1979.
Kentucky (5-3) is scheduled to face Rice (3-4) on Saturday at the Lafayette Sports Center.
#40 Purdue 6, #57 Rice 1
Singles
1. #29 Hala Sufi (P) def. #31 Blair DiSesa (R) 6-2, 5-7, 1-0 (10-3)
2. #54 Randi Schuler (P) def. Christine Dao (R) 6-1, 6-3
3. Brooke Beier (P) def. Alanna Rodgers (R) 7-5, 6-2
4. Mallory Voelker (P) def. Tiffany Lee (R) 6-3, 6-4 *
5. Stephanie Wooten (P) def. Medeja Egic (R) 6-7, 6-2, 1-0 (10-8)
6. Kimberley Patenaude (R) def. Anna Dzeva (P) 4-6, 7-6, 1-0 (10-3)
Doubles
1. #30 DiSesa/Rodgers (R) def. Sufi/Voelker (P) 8-2
2. Beier/Schuler (P) def. Egic/Patenaude (R) 8-3
3. Brittany Minna/Wooten (P) def. Lee/Dao (R) 8-6
Order of singles finish: 2,3,4,1,5,6
Order of doubles finish: 1,3,2
* Denotes match-clinching victory.
Purdue 3-2
Rice 3-4
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