Feb. 8, 2003
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - After a solid play sweeping doubles, the Purdue men's tennis team (2-1) looked on the verge of victory before losing 4 of the next 5 matches in singles on Saturday at the Lafayette Sports Center, dropping its third match of the season in a 3-4 loss to 43rd-ranked Notre Dame.
Despite the loss, success came from freshman Paul Rose playing at No. 2 doubles and the No. 4 singles spots. In doubles, Rose teamed up with senior Andrew Wakefield and defeated Notre Dame's Luis Haddock and Ben Hatten 8-5. After winning doubles, Rose stepped on the court again and walked off as the only Boilermaker to win in both singles and doubles. The freshman defeated the Fighting Irish's Brian Farrell 6-2, 6-2, putting the Boilermakers up 2-0 early in the match.
"It felt great to be the first one off the court with the victory. This is a huge rivalry for everyone here on the team", Rose said. "Being just a freshman, I have been listening to the guys talk about its importance all week and how big a match it was going to be. I got caught up in the excitement of that in both wins".
Madden was encouraged by the play of Rose. Though the team fell short he provided a bright spot.
"He is on a mission and you can see it", Madden said. "He clearly believes that he should be winning and out work anybody. That energy and enthusiasm on top of confidence for a freshman is admirable."
The energy exhibited by Rose is something the Boilermakers will need tomorrow against a solid Western Michigan team.
"We need to get into the competition tomorrow against a team that is very similar in ability. Not outstanding, but solid from top to bottom like Notre Dame, Madden said. "We need to turn the tables, believing we are supposed to win and going after every ball".
Winning and attacking every ball was the case for the Purdue men's doubles teams going 3-0 against the Fighting Irish.
Junior Troy Havens and senior Scott Mayer teamed up for an 8-4 win No.1, while freshman Colin Foster and junior Seth McKinley finished out the perfect start at No. 3 with a 8-4 decision over Jack Cram and Paul McNaughton of Notre Dame.
After the victory in doubles, as well as Rose's quick victory at No. 4, domination of play shifted from the Boilermakers to the Fighting Irish. Notre Dame's Luis Haddock defeated senior Scott Mayer 6-4, 6-3 at No. 1. The loss came almost simultaneously to junior Troy Haven's 6-3, 6-4 drop to Brent D'Amico at No. 3.
At No. 5, McKinley fell 6-3, 6-3 to Notre Dame's Buchanan and at No. 2. Wakefield dropped his match to Matt Scott 7-6, 6-4.
Though the match had already been decided, the Boilermakers received their final point from sophomore David Robinson, as he pushed through a grueling three set match, winning 2-6, 7-6, 10-8 against Nicolas Lopez at No.6.
The loss today sparked concern in Madden but he feels that the best remedy is more competition.
"If we are going to learn from this day, and do something about it, we need to get back into competition," Madden said. " I am glad we don't have to wait a week or two weeks before the next opponent. No amount of practicing and drill work is going to make the kind of difference that competition will make."
The 46th-ranked Purdue men's tennis team will finish out their three-day home-stand on Sunday at 11 a.m. at the Lafayette Sports Center against 57th-ranked Western Michigan (7-1).
- P -
NOTRE DAME 4, PURDUE 3
Doubles1. Havens/Mayer (P) def. Scott/D'Amico (ND) 8-42. Wakefield/Rose (P) def. Haddock/Hatten (ND) 8-53. McKinley/Foster (P) def. Cram/ McNaughton (ND) 8-4
Singles1. Luis Haddock (ND) def. Scott Mayer (P) 6-4, 6-32. Matt Scott (ND) def. Andrew Wakefield (P) 7-6, 6-43. Brent D'Amico (ND) def. Troy Havens (P) 6-3, 6-44. Paul Rose (P) def. Brian Farell (ND) 6-2, 6-25. Partick Buchanan (ND) def. Seth McKinley (P) 6-3, 6-36. David Robinson (P) def. Nicolas Lopez (ND) 2-6, 7-6, 10-8