LAS VEGAS, NEV. - Purdue dropped a narrow 3-4 decision at UNLV on Tuesday evening.
The Boilermakers win streak was snapped despite a harrowing effort from the underclassmen. Purdue let the doubles point slip away with losses at No. 1 and 3. Stefan Simeunovic/Henrik Villanger led 4-3 before their match at No. 2 was abandoned.
Facing a one-point deficit, the bottom of the singles order provided a quick lift with Mujtaba Ali-Khan and Henrik Villanger securing a 2-1 lead for Purdue. Villanger diced up his opponent 6-3, 6-3 while Ali-Khan took a first-set lead off a harrowing 7-6(4) win. The victory in the first set propelled him to a dominant 6-1 win in the second to clinch the point and his sixth win at singles No. 6.
Daniel Labrador forced a third set after being downed 6-3 in the first, but a 4-1 deficit in the final push snuffed out his comeback and gave the lead back to the Rebels 2-3.
Reigning Big Ten Player of the Week, Soham Purohit, continued his winning streak at singles No. 2 with a three-set win over Dusan Rsovac. Purohit pulled a reverse sweep after falling 5-7 in the first set to win 6-3, 6-1 and claim the tying point. He has won five in a row and six of his last seven matches.
With the match on the line, Simeunovic forced a winner-take-all third set at No. 1. Unfortunately, he was on the wrong side of a 6-3 decision in the final set as UNLV clinched the dual.
Up Next
Purdue closes spring break with a road match at Boise State this Friday, March 15.
PURDUE (5-7) - 3, UNLV (6-6) - 4
SINGLES
1. Illia Maksymchuk (UNLV) def. Stefan Simeunovic (PUR) 6-3, 3-6, 6-3
2. Soham Purohit (PUR) def. Dusan Rsovac (UNLV) 5-7, 6-3, 6-1
3. Aaron Bailey (UNLV) def. Daniel Labrador (PUR) 6-3, 3-6, 6-4
4. Taiyo Hirano (UNLV) def. Juan David Velasquez (PUR) 6-3, 6-3
5. Henrik Villanger (PUR) def. Thomas Navarro (UNLV) 6-3, 6-3
6. Mujtaba Ali-Khan (PUR) def. Creed Skinner (UNLV) 7-6(4), 6-1
DOUBLES
1. Taiyo Hirano/Illia Maksymchuk (UNLV) def. Soham Purohit/Juan David Velasquez (PUR)- 6-3
2. Stefan Simeunovic/Henrik Villanger (PUR) vs. Jackson Atherton/Dusan Rsovac (UNLV)- 4-3 (Unfinished)
3. Aaron Bailey/Thomas Navarro (UNLV) def. Daniel Labrador/Mujtaba Ali-Khan (PUR)- 6-2
Purdue Falls in Final Set at UNLV
Purdue dropped a narrow 3-4 decision at UNLV on Tuesday evening.