Jan. 31, 2004
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - The Purdue men's tennis team picked up its first win of the season, with a 5-2 victory against Ball State on Saturday, in Lafayette. The Boilermakers are 1-0, while the Cardinals drop to 2-2 with the loss.
Purdue, which lost 4-3 at Ball State a year ago, got off to a disappointing start, as it surrendered two of three doubles matches to give the Cardinals a 1-0 lead in the match.
The Boilermakers needed four singles wins to pull out the team victory, and got their first triumph from senior Troy Havens, who beat Matt Laramore 6-4, 6-4 at the No. 2 position.
Next in was sophomore Colin Foster, who knocked off Patrick Thompson 7-5, 6-4 at No. 4.
After sophomore Paul Rose held on to beat Matthew Baccarani 6-4, 1-6, 6-2 at No. 1, Purdue needed just one more win to clinch the match. Ball State halted the Boilermakers' surge, as Klint Knable defeated freshman Jarred Leibner 6-4, 2-6, 6-0 at No. 5.
The decision came down to the No. 3 and No. 6 matches, which both went to three sets. The Cardinals needed to win both, but Purdue came through with victories by juniors David Robinson and Sounak Chatterjee.
Purdue head coach Tim Madden said the Boilermakers were rewarded for fighting through a rough start.
"Ball State got us down early and forced us to battle back," Madden said. "They are a very well-coached and feisty team, but our guys really rose to the occasion."
Madden was most impressed with Havens and Foster.
"Troy led the way for us in singles," Madden said. "He was our emotional leader, and gave us what we expect from our senior captain.
"Colin played some of the most decisive singles we've ever seen out of him."
After a playing the Cardinals in a match that lasted nearly four hours, the Boilermakers will be back on the court Sunday, when they play host to Butler at 1 p.m., at the Lafayette Sports Center.
#53 Purdue 5, #62 Ball State 2Singles1. Paul Rose (PU) def. Matthew Baccarani (BSU) 6-4, 1-6, 6-22. Troy Havens (PU) def. Matt Laramore (BSU) 6-4, 6-43. David Robinson (PU) def. Michael Heule (BSU) 5-7, 6-4, 6-24. Colin Foster (PU) def. Patrick Thompson (BSU) 7-5, 6-45. Klint Knable (BSU) def. Jarred Leibner (PU) 6-4, 2-6, 6-06. Sounak Chatterjee (PU) def. Brad Rhodes (BSU) 4-6, 7-6, 7-5Doubles1. Baccarani/Thompson (BSU) def. Havens/Rose (PU) 9-82. Chatterjee/Filip Koziell (PU) def. Laramore/Rhodes (BSU) 8-33. Knable/Paul Newman (BSU) def. Robinson/Foster (PU) 8-5- P -
Purdue: 1-0Ball State: 2-2