WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - The 25th-ranked Purdue women's tennis team will look to extend its five-dual match winning streak against in-state rival Indiana Friday at the Schwartz Tennis Center. First serves between the Boilermakers (7-2, 2-0 B1G) and No. 45 Hoosiers (9-3, 0-0 B1G) on the Basham Courts are slated for 1 p.m. ET.
Three of the Old Gold & Black's wins during their current five-match streak have come over ranked teams, including a dominating 5-1 performance at then-No. 53 Nebraska on Sunday. Purdue's top doubles team of Daniela Vidal and Tess Bernard-Feigenbaum registered their first shutout of the season while winning their fifth straight together. The veteran duo is ranked 43rd nationally and owns a 10-2 record.
Head coach Laura Glitz has used the lineup of Vidal/Bernard-Feigenbaum, Lynda Xepoleas/Natalia Davila at No. 2 and Nicole Robinson/Krisztina Kapitany at No. 3 in the last four dual matches. Since Feb. 22, that lineup has combined to go 8-1. The Boilermakers have captured the doubles point in six of their nine dual matches and are 6-0 when claiming the point.
Vidal and Bernard-Feigenbaum lead the way in singles while playing at Nos. 1 and 2, respectively, with nine wins each. Winner in her last four matches, including three in straight sets, Vidal sports a 9-3 record. Bernard-Feigenbaum is 9-2 and has won her last two.
Xepoleas is holding the hot racquet for Purdue. The 8-1 senior has been victorious in her last seven contests dating back to Feb. 7, with a pair of wins at each Nos. 3, 4 and 5.
After winning four straight, Indiana has dropped its last two dual matches. The Hoosiers fell at Illinois (6-1) and at home to then-No. 28 Northwestern (4-3). Both matches did not count towards their B1G schedule. They do not have a nationally ranked duo or singles player in their lineup.
Friday's dual match will be the 60th all-time between the in-state rivals since 1976, which is the most meetings with any opponent in program history. The Boilermakers are looking to avenge last season's 5-2 loss in Bloomington. Indiana has not won in West Lafayette since 2009.
PROMOS
Friday is Staff & Faculty Appreciation Day. Be sure to join us for an afternoon of rivalry tennis, FREE pizza, games and prize giveaways!