March 3, 2002
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Although the Purdue men's tennis team fell 5-2 against No. 17 Washington at the Lafayette Sports Center on Sunday, March 3, Boilermaker Laith Al-Agba continued to demonstrate his senior leadership for the second consecutive game by winning both his doubles and singles matches. The loss drops the 49th-ranked Boilermakers to 4-5 (0-1 Big Ten).
Al-Agba, (4-3 in singles, 6-3 in doubles with junior Carl McCafferty) paired with McCafferty to win the No. 2 doubles spot against the Huskies' Mat Hanlin and Dillon Ruby 9-8. The senior looked even sharper when he continued his strong play in singles against the Huskies' Ari Strasberg. The Boilermaker lost the first set 6-4 before winning the second 5-7. Down to a match-breaker in the third set, Al-Agba rallied for a 10-5 victory lifting the Boilermakers to their only singles win at No. 4.
Coach Tim Madden was impressed with the senior's competitive stature.
"He has always had confidence in his doubles," Madden says. "His net skills are so good and his serve return is so good that he just expects to get in those big point situations and then wins them."
The Boilermakers also secured 9-8 victories at the No. 1 and 3 doubles spots. Junior Scott Mayer and senior Dan Swan defeated Christoph Palmanshofer and Alex Vlaski at No. 1, senior Derek Miller and junior Andrew Wakefield came through with a win against Pete Scharler and Ari Strasberg at No. 3.
"Instead of building from the past, I think they are getting into the moment now," Madden says. "Creating big moments is what I'm real pleased about."
"There came a point were I believed we should have won this match," Madden says. "I think it's a matter of experience, you have to keep getting there and find a way to break through."
Although the Boilermakers won one of six singles, their effort to take control of strategies and tactics showed during tie-breakers.
"We played so many tie-breakers," Madden says. "We lost a couple at No.6, one at No.3 and at No. 4, but we have six guys in singles that are competing and making the choice that they are going to control, what they can control and let the rest go."
The Boilermakers will resume competition in two weeks when they play against San Diego on March 13. Purdue will face Wake Forest on March 14 in San Diego. Both matches are slated to start at 1 p.m.
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