WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – The Purdue women's tennis team took the doubles point and picked up a pair of singles wins at the top of the order, but it was not enough to hold off a late comeback by Michigan State on Saturday at the Schwartz Tennis, falling 4-3 in the 2021 home opener.
Purdue set an early tone in the doubles session. Michigan State took an early lead on a 6-2 decision at No. 3, but the Boilermakers took the momentum from there. Zala Dovnik and Nathalia Wolf Gasparin rolled at No. 2 to a 6-2 win over Maja PIetrowicz and Mary Lewis.
Ena Babic and Csilla Fodor sealed the opening point with a 6-3 win at the top of the order against Lauren Lemonds and Ayshe Can.
After Michigan State pulled level with a 6-2, 6-2 win at No. 3, Fodor sent the Boilermakers back into the lead by cruising to a 6-2, 6-3 win at No. 2 against Samantha Memije. Ena Babic then put Purdue on the brink of victory with a hard-fought three-set winner against Mary Lewis 4-6, 6-3, 6-2.
The Spartans pulled a point back with a 3-6, 6-3, 6-2 win by Ayshe Can over Rut Galindo at No. 5. Dovnik nearly rallied from three games down in the third, but she fell Lauren Lemonds at No. 4, 5-7, 6-1, 7-5, to tie the score at 3-3.
Michigan State completed its comeback at No. 6 when Nicole Stephens outlasted Zeynep Naz Ozturk over three sets 7-6 (4), 3-6, 6-3.
The Boilermakers will be back in action Sunday at the Schwartz Tennis Center at noon against Michigan.
PURDUE (1-2) – 3, MICHIGAN STATE (2-2) – 4
SINGLES
1. Ena Babic (PUR) def. Mary Lewis (MSU) – 4-6, 6-3, 6-2
2. Csilla Fodor (PUR) def. Samantha Memije (MSU) – 6-2, 6-3
3. Maja Pietrowicz (MSU) def. Seira Shimizu (PUR) – 6-2, 6-2
4. Lauren Lemonds (MSU) def. Zala Dovnik (PUR) – 5-7, 6-1, 7-5
5. Ayshe Can (MSU) def. Rut Galindo (PUR) – 3-6, 6-3, 6-2
6. Nicole Stephens (MSU) def. Zeynep Naz Ozturk (PUR) – 7-6 (4), 3-6, 6-3
DOUBLES
1. Ena Babic/Csilla Fodor (PUR) def. Lauren Lemonds/Ayshe Can (MSU) – 6-3
2. Zala Dovnik/Nathalia Wolf Gasparin (PUR) def. Maja Pietrowicz/Mary Lewis (MSU) – 6-3
3. Samantha Memije/Nicole Stephens (MSU) def. Rut Galindo/Seira Shimizu (PUR) – 6-2
Order of Finish
Singles: 3,2,1,5,4,6
Doubles: 3,2,1
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