WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - After a month on the road, the Purdue men's tennis team could not make the most of its homecoming Wednesday, losing 4-3 to Northwestern inside the Schwartz Tennis Center. The midweek skid is the Boilermakers' second this season; the team opened Big Ten play with a 5-0 loss to Indiana on Wednesday, Feb. 21.
In doubles, Purdue secured the first point with wins on the lower two courts. Maksymilian Raupuk and Dominik Sochurek edged by Nick Brookes and Jason Seidman 7-6 (7-2) at the second position, while teammates Renan Hanayama and Gergely Madarasz overpowered Chris Ephron and Antonioni Fasano 6-2 at the third.
On the high court, underclassmen Athell Bennett and Mateo Julio could not overcome a break, falling 6-4 to Dominik Stary and Ben Vandixhorn.
In singles, the Wildcats charged from behind, claiming the first three contests to finish. Raupuk lost 6-3, 6-3 to Brookes at the second positon. Hanayama fell 6-3, 6-1 to Ephron on court six, and Madarasz was bested 7-5, 6-3 by Stary on court one.
However, despite dropping all six second sets, the Boilermakers tied the match at three all with wins by Bennett and Julio. The first defeated Seidman 6-1, 1-6, 6-2 at the fifth position and the later outplayed Vandixhorn 6-4, 1-6, 6-2 at the third.
In the final match on, Javier Rodriguez - who did not compete in doubles - was two points away from securing Purdue its first conference victory of the spring. However, Fasano rallied to take the game, tiebreaker and court four match 3-6, 7-6 (7-4), 7-6 (7-4).
The Boilermakers will have two more opportunities to end their drought at home this weekend, though the competition strengthens. First serves against No. 46 Wisconsin on Saturday and No. 31 Minnesota on Sunday are both scheduled for noon ET.