WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – The Purdue men's tennis team split a pair of matches Saturday at the Schwartz Tennis Center. The Boilermakers fell in the Big Ten Conference opener to in-state foe Indiana 4-1, before dominating Valparaiso 7-0 in the evening tilt. Purdue is now 9-5 on the year and 0-1 in league play.
PURDUE vs. INDIANA
Purdue dropped their opening Big Ten Conference match of the season, as the Hoosiers outlasted the Boilermakers 4-1.
The Boilermakers worked from behind after the doubles point. Athell Bennett and Julian Saborio dropped a 6-2 decision to No. 42 Bennett Crane and Zac Brodney at No. 1, before Patrick Fletchall and Payam Ahmadi topped Sebastian Welch and Tomasz Dudek by the same score at No. 3.
Mateo Julio and Michal Wozniak held a narrow 4-3 lead over Carson Haskins and William Piekarsky at No. 2 when play was halted.
Indiana extended its lead with a straight-set win at No. 4, Maksmilian Raupuk put the Boilermakers on the board with a decisive 6-1, 7-5 win against Carson Haskins at No. 3.
The remaining four singles contests all went into third sets. Showcasing back-and-forth action, the two teams put on a display of brilliant tennis. The Hoosiers pulled away in the late stages. Brodney edged Julio at No. 2 6-4, 6-7(2), 6-4, before Vikash Signh outlasted Tomasz Dudek 3-6, 6-4, 6-4 at No. 6.
The top singles match featuring No. 20 Athell Bennett and No. 86 Bennett Crane was a slugfest that went unfinished with the latter in the lead in the third set 4-6, 7-6(9), 4-2 when play concluded.
PURDUE 1, INDIANA 4
SINGLES
1. No. 20 Athell Bennett (PUR) vs. Bennett Crane (IU) – 6-4, 6-7(9), 2-4
2. Zac Brodney (IU) def. Mateo Julio (PUR) – 6-4, 6-7(2), 6-4
3. Maksymilian Raupuk (PUR) def. Carson Haskins (IU) – 6-1, 7-5
4. Luka Vukovic (IU) def. Michal Wozniak (PUR) – 6-3, 6-2
5. Sebastian Welch (PUR) vs. Andrew Redding (IU) – 6-7(5), 6-3, 1-4
6. Vikash Singh (IU) def. Tomasz Dudek (PUR) – 6-3, 4-6, 6-4
DOUBLES
1. No. 42 Bennett Crane/Zac Brodney (IU) def. Athell Bennett/Julian Saborio (PUR) – 6-2
2. Mateo Julio/Michal Wozniak (PUR) vs. Carson Haskins/William Piekarsky (IU) 4-3, unfinished
3. Patrick Fletchall/Payam Ahmadi (IU) def. Sebastian Welch/Tomasz Dudek (PUR) – 6-2
Singles order: 4, 3, 2
Doubles order: 1, 3
PURDUE vs. VALPARAISO
After a grueling opening match, the Boilermakers dug deep in the late match against the Crusaders to win every set contested in singles and doubles action.
Purdue rebounded in the early stages against the Crusaders, cruising to the doubles point. Mateo Julio and Maksymilian Raupuk rolled to a 6-2 win over Franklin Brozovich and Gabriel Carvajal at No. 2. Michal Wozniak and Julian Saborio quickly followed suit with a 6-2 decision against Brandon Ancona and Brian Pecyna at No. 1.
Sebastian Welch and Tomasz Dudek were sitting on match point against Daniel Langston and Philipp Leithold when play was halted, up 5-3.
The Boilermakers carried the early momentum into singles play. Welch easily handled Langston at No. 4 in a 6-2, 6-1 win, before Raupuk gave the hosts a 3-0 lead with a 6-2, 6-4 win at No. 2 against Pecyna. Julio bested Ancona at the top of the order 7-6(4), 6-0 to seal the win for the hosts.
Purdue continued to pour it on, as Dudek added to the lead from the No. 5 spot in a 6-2, 6-4 decision. Franz Luna made quick work of Brozovich to win 6-4, 6-2 at No. 6. Wozniak completed the perfect match by way of a 6-4, 6-2 victory over Carvajal.
PURDUE 7, VALPO 0
SINGLES
1. Mateo Julio (PUR) def. Brandon Ancona (VU) – 7-6(4), 6-0
2. Maksymilian Raupuk (PUR) def. Brian Pecyna (VU) – 6-2, 6-4
3. Michal Wozniak (PUR) def. Gabriel Carvajal (VU) – 6-4, 6-2
4. Sebastian Welch (PUR) def. Daniel Langston (VU) – 6-1, 6-1
5. Tomasz Dudek (PUR) def. Oscar Mendoza (VU) – 6-2, 6-4
6. Franz Luna (PUR) def. Franklin Brozovich (VU) – 6-4, 6-2
DOUBLES
1. Julian Saborio/Michal Wozniak (PUR) def. Brandon Ancona/Brian Pecyna (VU) – 6-2
2. Mateo Julio/Maksymilian Raupuk (PUR) def. Franklin Brozovich/Gabriel Carvajal (VU) – 6-2
3. Sebastian Welch/Tomasz Dudek (PUR) vs. Daniel Langston/Philipp Leithold (VU) – 5-3, unfinished
Singles order: 4, 2, 1, 5, 6, 3
Doubles order: 2, 1
Purdue returns to the Schwartz Tennis Center for another doubleheader on March 1 against Drake and Cleveland State.