WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Three Boilermakers earned career milestones in a 3-4 loss to Drake on Saturday.
Purdue nabbed a monumental victory in doubles when Juan David Velasquez/Soham Purohit defeated ITA No. 48 doubles team. The 6-4 win over Oliver Johansson/Matija Matic was the first career win over a ranked opponent for both freshmen. It is also the first ranked doubles victory since March 2023 when Daniel Labrador/Tomasz Dudek upset the nation's No. 70 team versus Indiana.
Despite an early deficit, the momentum from the ranked win propelled Purdue to a hot start in singles. Purohit dominated his opponent at singles No. 4, allowing no more than one game through the entire match. Henrik Villanger followed suit with 6-2, 6-4 win in straight sets. Villanger is now 2-0 at singles No. 6.
Stefan Simeunoivc dug deep for his first career win at No. 1. The freshman found himself in a first-set battle after leading the match 2-0 to a new contest at five-all. Simeunovic pulled out a 7-5 win in the first set and held strong to increase his spring record to 5-3.
The Bulldogs, however, mounted a comeback to take the match in the final two singles contests. Both Alexander Ekstrand and Mujtaba Ali-Khan forced a third set but ultimately came up short.
Up Next
Purdue faces a quick turnaround with a noon match tomorrow, Feb. 10 against Brown.
Purdue (2-6)- 3, Drake (6-1)- 4
SINGLES
1. Stefan Simeunovic (PUR) def. Jeremy Schifris (DRA)- 7-5, 6-4
2. Oliver Johansson (DRA) def. Juan David Velasquez (PUR)- 6-2, 7-6(6)
3. Matija Matic (DRA) def. Alexander Ekstrand (PUR)- 7-6(6), 4-6, 6-1
4. Soham Purohit (PUR) def. Matt Clegg (DRA)- 6-1, 6-0
5. Markus Bolin (DRA) def. Mujtaba Ali-Khan (PUR)- 6-1, 4-6, 6-4
6. Henrik Villanger (PUR) def. Olle Lidholt (DRA)- 6-2, 6-4
DOUBLES
1. Juan David Velasquez/Soham Purohit (PUR) def. No. 48 Oliver Johansson/Matija Matic (DRA)- 6-3
2. Matt Clegg/Markus Bolin (DRA) def. Henrik Villanger/Stefan Simeunovic (PUR)- 6-4
3. Jeremy Schifris/Olle Lidholt (DRA) def. Alexander Ekstrand/Mujtaba Ali-Khan (PUR)- 6-2
ORDER OF FINISH
Singles- 4, 2, 6, 1, 3, 5
Doubles- 3, 1, 2
Velasquez/Purohit Earn First Ranked Win
Three Boilermakers earned career milestones in a 3-4 loss to Drake on Saturday.