Strong Start for Purdue at Cincinnati InviteStrong Start for Purdue at Cincinnati Invite

Strong Start for Purdue at Cincinnati Invite

The Purdue women's tennis team rolled on the opening day of the UC/Pam Whitehead Invitational, hosted by Cincinnati.

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WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – The Purdue women's tennis team rolled on the opening day of the UC/Pam Whitehead Invitational, hosted by Cincinnati.

The Boilermakers finished Friday with a 3-3 record in doubles action with three different pairing securing a win.

Rut Galindo and Tara Katarina Milic needed a tiebreak to top Paulina Franco and Emily Flowers from Xavier, 7-6(6). Juana Larranaga and Ashlie Wilson knocked off Miami's Sara Zalukar and Emilia Valtentinsson with a 7-5 decision. Liz Norman and Kennedy Gibbs closed out the doubles wins with a 6-2 victory Catherine Denysiewicz-Slowek and Laura Rico from Miami.

Purdue squared off with Cincinnati for the Friday singles round picking up five wins.

Liz Norman cruised to a 6-2, 6-3 win over Maria Santilli. Milic dispatched Cassic McLay, 6-4, 6-3. Galindo Galindo made added a singles victory over Natasha Opachiuch in a super tiebreak, battling back from a set down to win 1-6, 6-2, 1-0(3).

Freshmen Antonia Pareja and Ashlie Wilson closed out Purdue's strong singles sessions in super tiebreaks. Pareja outlasted Hayley Hirsch 5-7, 6-3, 1-0(8), while Wilson finished 6-3, 3-6, 1-0(6) over Sanhana Reddy.

One Boilermaker not with the team in Cincinnati is Carmen Gallardo Guevara. The sophomore is set to open prequalifying at the ITA All-America Championship in Cary, N.C., on Saturday. She will square off with Margeaux Maquet from UNC Wilmington.

FRIDAY RESULTS
SINGLES
Liz Norman (PUR) def. Maria Santilli (UC) 6-2, 6-3
Tara Katarina Milic (PUR) def. Cassie McLay 6-4, 6-3
Kelli Niehaus (UC) def. Kennedy Gibbs (PUR) 6-1, 6-3
Rut Galindo (PUR) def. Natasha Opaciuch (UC) 1-6, 6-2, 1-0 (3)
Katie Ferguson (UC) def. Juana Larranaga (PUR) 6-4, 6-0
Antonia Pareja (PUR) def. Hayley Hirsch 5-7, 6-3, 1-0 (8)
Ashlie Wilson (PUR) def. Sanjana Reddy (UC) 6-3, 3-6, 1-0 (6)

DOUBLES
Abby Nugent/Abby Siminski (XU) def. Liz Norman/Kennedy Gibbs (PUR) 7-5
Rut Galindo/Tara Milic (PUR) def. Paulina Franco/Emily Flowers (XU) 7-6 (6)
Juana Larranaga/Ashlie Wilson (PUR) def. Sara Zalukar/Emilia Valtentinsson (MIAMI (OH)) 7-5
Liz Norman/Kennedy Gibbs (PUR) def. Catherine Denysiewicz-Slowek/Laura Rico (MIAMI (OH)) 6-2 
Nishitha Saravanan/Jutte Van Hansewyk (MIAMI OH)) def. Rut Galindo/Tara Katarina Milic (PUR) 6-1 
Sara Zalukar/Emilia Valentinsson (MIAMI OH)) def. Juana Larranaga/Ashlie Wilson (PUR) 6-4