East Lansing, Mich. - Despite falling in each of its three Big Ten duals this season, the Purdue men's tennis team is trending towards a victory in conference play. Saturday, the Boilermakers nearly defeated Michigan State in a 4-3 decision that ultimately favored the home team; however, the performance is a significant improvement compared to Purdue's 5-2 squander at Illinois and 5-0 sweep against Indiana. The Boilermakers are also competing without their No. 2 player in Stephan Koenigsfest, who is expected to return to the lineup in early April.
Against the Spartans, Purdue lost on the higher two courts in doubles to begin the match. No. 57 Athell Bennett and Gergely Madarasz were defeated 7-5 by Brett Forman and Jasper Koenen at the first position, while Mateo Julio and Maksymilian Raupuk were bested 7-6 (7-4) by Michael Dube and Josh Mukherjee at the second. On court three, Renan Hanayama and Javier Rodriguez's contest with Billy Shisler and Jack Winkler was left unfinished at six all.
Down 1-0, Purdue managed to even the score halfway through singles, claiming two of the first three matches to finish. Bennett overpowered Davis Wong 6-3, 6-2 at the fifth position, and Julio came back from a first-set egg to win 0-6, 6-0, 6-4 against Koenen at the fourth. Meanwhile, Rodriguez' struggles in Big Ten play continued, as the freshman dropped his court three match 6-1, 6-1 to Mukherjee.
The score remained tied at three all, as the Boilermakers' two seniors split their matches against Michigan State. No. 79 Madarasz fell 7-5, 7-5 against Forman at the first position with Hanayama securing a 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 victory over Shisler at the sixth.
Raupuk's court two contest against Dube would decide the dual. After dropping the first set, Purdue's freshman edged past the Spartan in the second-set breaker; however, he could not battle back from a break in the third, ultimately losing 6-2, 6-7 (6-8), 6-4.
Up next, the Boilermakers will remain in Michigan for a noon ET dual against the No. 11 Wolverines. A victory Sunday would not only be Purdue's first in the Big Ten this spring, but the highest ranked opponent defeated in program history.