April 9, 2006
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - A Big Ten title remained in sight for the Purdue women's tennis team, which defeated Michigan State 5-2 in East Lansing on Sunday. The victory improved the 43rd-ranked Boilermakers' record to 10-7 overall and 4-2 in conference action with four league matches remaining on its regular-season schedule. Michigan State dropped to 11-8 and 2-5.
Purdue secured its third road victory of the spring in dramatic fashion. After winning the doubles point and the first two singles matches to come off the court, the Boilermakers owned a 3-0 lead in the contest and needed just one more singles win for the team victory.
The Spartans fought to stay alive, winning the next two matches to make the score 3-2 with two points left to be claimed.
The attention turned to the action on courts 2 and 5. The latter finished first, as Purdue freshman Anna Dzeva delivered the match-clinching win; she beat Sarah Andrews 6-2, 6-3.
The other singles winners for Purdue were sophomore Stephanie Wooten at No. 4, and freshman Mallory Voelker at No. 3. Sophomore Brooke Beier won at No. 2, giving the Boilermakers their fifth point.
Purdue now has won three straight against Michigan State. The Boilermakers have won 16 of the last 17 meetings with the Spartans.
Purdue head coach Mat Iandolo said the victory today is important for a number of reasons.
"This is a great win for us not only because it's on the road, but it also keeps us in the Big Ten hunt," Iandolo said. "We have two tough weekends ahead of us, so this should give us some confidence heading down the home stretch."
Purdue will return to action next weekend, when it plays its final home matches of the season against Wisconsin and Northwestern on April 15 and 16.
#43 Purdue 5, Michigan State 2
Singles
1. Christine Bader (MSU) def. #66 Randi Schuler (P) 6-1, 6-3
2. Brooke Beier (P) def. Pascale Schnitzer (MSU) 6-3, 6-4
3. Mallory Voelker (P) def. Jessica Baron (MSU) 6-0, 6-2
4. Stephanie Wooten (P) def. Stephanie Kebler (MSU) 6-3, 6-0
5. Anna Dzeva (P) def. Sarah Andrews (MSU) 6-2, 6-3 *
6. Ana Milosavljevic (MSU) def. Brittany Minna (P) 6-3, 6-3
Doubles
1. Beier/Voelker (P) def. Bader/Andrews (MSU) 8-1
2. Wooten/Schuler (P) def. Baron/Kebler (MSU) 8-5
3. Schnitzer/Milosavljevic (MSU) def. Minna/Dzeva (P) 8-7 (1)
Order of singles finish: 4,3,1,6,5,2
Order of doubles finish: 1,2,3
* Denotes match-clinching victory.
Purdue: 10-7 (4-2 Big Ten)
Michigan State: 11-8 (2-5 Big Ten)
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