WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - The 21st-ranked Purdue women's tennis team will hit the road for its first official B1G dual match* of the season Saturday at Iowa. First serves between the Boilermakers (4-2) and Hawkeyes (4-2) are set for 12 p.m. ET from the Hawkeye Tennis and Recreation Complex in Iowa City.
The Old Gold & Black are looking to extend their winning streak to three after downing then-No. 38 Arkansas and then-No. 54 Memphis in their last outing. Purdue was 4-0 in doubles and 7-4 in singles in the two dual matches with Nicole Robinson receiving credit for clinching both victories.
Lynda Xepoleas (6-1) joined Robinson with a 2-0 performance while playing at the No. 4 spot. The senior teamed up with Natalia Davila for the first time this spring as the No. 2 duo for a pair of wins.
On Tuesday, Purdue was rewarded for taking down two ranked opponents. The Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) released its first set of team, singles and doubles rankings based on a computerized point-per-match formula and the Boilermakers jumped 11 spots, from No. 32 to 21. It's their highest team ranking since April 2, 2013, when they were listed 19th.
For a second-straight poll, Daniela Vidal and Tess Bernard-Feigenbaum maintain a position among the nation's top tandems. The senior and junior own an 8-2 record and check in at No. 45.
Saturday's dual match is also the first conference battle for the Hawkeyes, who are coming off of a 4-0 loss to then-No. 33 Oklahoma on Feb. 20. The Sooners were the first ranked opponent they had faced in 2015 and the loss was their first suffered at home. Iowa hosted and dominated Northern Iowa (7-0), Iowa State (4-1) and Utah State (6-1) at the start of the season.
Junior Annette Dohanics and freshman Zoe Douglas hold undefeated singles records this season for the Hawkeyes. Dohanics has won her last 10 matches at No. 5, where she carries a career record of 11-3. Her last loss at No. 5 came at the 2013 B1G Tournament. Seniors Shelby Talcott, Morven McCulloch and Ellen Silver all have one loss in singles play. Their records stand at 5-1, 4-1, and 3-1, respectively.
Throughout series history, the two programs break even at 24 wins a piece dating back to 1977. The Boilermakers have taken the last four meetings from Iowa and have returned with a victory in their last two trips to Iowa City.
* The Northwestern match on Feb. 15 did not count towards B1G