URBANA, Ill. – Down a trio of players, including Julian Saborio and Franz Luna on Davis Cup duties, the Purdue men's tennis team dropped its first Big Ten Conference road match of the season at No. 47 Illinois 4-0 on Sunday afternoon.
The Boilermakers needed a bounce-back effort after doubles play. Illinois picked up back-to-back 6-3 wins at No. 1 and 2. Sebastian Welch and Santiago Galan were locked into a 4-4 battle against Vuk Budic and Lucas Horve at No. 3 when play was stopped.
In singles action, Purdue could not quite find its rhythm. The Fighting Illini took the match with wins at No. 2, 4 and 6.
Athell Bennett was one point away from forcing a third set against No. 11 Alex Brown at No. 1 when the match was called 5-7, 6-6 (6-4). Welch was the only Boilermaker to reach a third set at No. 5 against Gui Gomes.
The Boilermakers will return to the Schwartz Tennis Center next Saturday for a doubleheader against Niagara. The first match is set to start at 2 p.m., with the second contest to follow 30 minutes after the opener's conclusion.
PURDUE (10-7, 0-2) – 0, No. 47 ILLINOIS (5-6, 2-0) – 4
SINGLES
1. Athell Bennett (PUR) vs. No. 11 Alex Brown 5-7, 6-7(4), unfinished
2. No. 64 Siphosothando Montsi (ILL) def. Maksymilian Raupuk (PUR) – 6-3, 6-2
3. Michal Wozniak (PUR) vs. Zeke Clark (ILL) – 6-7(5), 2-3, unfinsihed
4. Fletcher Scott (ILL) def. Tomasz Dudek (PUR) – 7-5, 6-1
5. Sebastian Welch (PUR) vs. Gui Gomes (ILL) – 2-6, 6-2, 1-4, unfinished
6. Vuk Budic (ILL) def. Santiago Galan (PUR) – 6-2, ret.
DOUBLES
1. No. 25 Alex Brown/Aleksander Kovacevic (ILL) def. Athell Bennett/Tomasz Dudek (PUR) – 6-3
2. Gui Gomes/Siphosothando Montsi (ILL) def. Maksymilian Raupuk/Michal Wozniak (PUR) – 6-3
3. Sebastian Welch/Santiago Galan (PUR) vs. Vuk Budic/Lucas Horve (ILL) – 4-4, unfinished.
Singles order: 6, 2, 4
Doubles order: 1, 2
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