April 10, 2010
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - The 47th-ranked Purdue women's tennis team earned a 4-3 victory over visiting Wisconsin on Saturday afternoon amidst blustery conditions on the Schwartz Family Outdoor Courts.
"After two tough losses last weekend, this was a huge match for us," head coach Laura Glitz said. "The girls responded to a tough week of practice, and Bhavani (Tirumurti) did a great job coming through with the match on the line. I think this will be a big boost for our confidence for the rest of the season."
Purdue (14-3, 3-3 Big Ten) was forced to battle back from an early deficit as Wisconsin (6-13, 1-5) won the doubles point. Angela Chupa and Katya Mirnova drew first blood by pulling away for an 8-3 win over sophomore Anna Dushkina and freshman Gisella Pere at No. 2. The Badgers clinched the point at No. 3 when Jessica Seyferth and Lauren Gruber took an 8-6 decision from junior Bhavani Tirumurti and freshman Imogen Golder. Senior Michelle Sammons and sophomore Jennifer Rabot improved to 15-2 this season by defeating Hannah Berner and Alaina Trgovich 8-5 at No. 1.
The Badgers extended their lead once the match moved to singles as Mirnova was able to claim a 6-1, 6-1 win over Dushkina at No. 4. Pere then closed the gap and earned the ninth singles victory of her inaugural collegiate campaign by defeating Gruber 6-1, 6-0 at No. 6.
The next three matches ended almost simultaneously. Chupa pulled Wisconsin within one point of victory with a 6-1, 6-0 win over Golder at No. 5, but that was the last win the Badgers would earn. Sammons and Rabot then finished off victories to tie the match. Sammons defeated Berner 6-0, 6-3 at No. 1 to earn her ninth singles victory this season, and Rabot, the 110th-ranked singles player in the NCAA, moved to 16-1 this season with a 6-0, 6-2 defeat of Trgovich at No. 2.
All eyes then focused on court three, where Tirumurti and Seyferth were locked in a battle for the deciding point. Tirumurti was already ahead courtesy of a 7-6 (2) win in the first set, and both sides held serve in the second through the first seven games. Seyfreth earned the break and served out a 6-3 win that sent the match to a third set. Tirumurti outlasted Seyfreth in the back-and-forth final frame to claim a 7-6 (2), 3-6, 7-6 (3) victory.
"I think we just wanted it more," Tirumurti said. "The match was close, and sometimes that's all it takes."
Saturday's win moved the Boilermakers to 10-1 at home this season, with the only loss coming to then-top-ranked Northwestern. The 10 home wins are the most in program history, bettering the previous mark of nine set in 1998.
Purdue has won six straight matches against the Badgers. The Boilermakers return to action next weekend when they host fourth-ranked Michigan on Saturday at noon ET before wrapping up their home slate Sunday at noon against Michigan State.