Feb. 21, 2004
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - A valiant effort went unrewarded for the Purdue women's tennis team Saturday. The 46th-ranked Boilermakers came up one point shy of an upset over No. 12 Kentucky, as the Wildcats pulled out a 4-3 victory at the Lafayette Sports Center. The loss dropped Purdue to 3-4 overall, while Kentucky improved to 8-4 with the win.
Purdue, which came into the match winless in its last 11 tries against Kentucky, looked like it might reverse the trend behind a strong doubles performance. The Boilermakers swept all three pairs matches to claim the first point of the contest. Junior Amy Walgenbach and freshman Hala Sufi were the first players off the court, with an 8-1 win at No. 3. Seniors Gretchen Haynor and Melissa Woods won 8-3 at No. 1, and junior Lara Burgarello and freshman Alyssa Rodriguez completed the sweep with an 8-2 win at No. 2.
The Boilermakers needed to win three of six singles matches to win the overall competition; Kentucky needed four. The Wildcats struck first, with Lara Maurer upending Rodriguez in straight sets at No. 4. Kentucky reeled off two more wins at No. 6 and No. 1, building its lead to 3-1.
Purdue responded with straight-set wins by Walgenbach at No. 2, and Woods at No. 5.
The match came down to No. 3 singles, between Sufi, who came into the match undefeated at 6-0, and Joelle Schwenk. Sufi took the first set 6-3, and led 3-0 and 4-2 in the second before Schwenk battled back to win 6-4. Schwenk carried her momentum into the third and deciding set, which she won 6-0.
Purdue head coach Mat Iandolo was happy with his team's effort in doubles, but hoped the inspired play would have lasted the length of the match.
"Kentucky was just a little more competitive than us," Iandolo said. "We put ourselves in a position to win the match by taking the doubles point, but Kentucky regrouped."
Purdue now has lost three matches this season by 4-3 scores.
The Boilermakers will return to the court next weekend, when they play at Rice and TCU on Feb. 28 and 29.
#12 Kentucky 4, #46 Purdue 3Singles1. Aibika Kalsarieva (UK) def. Gretchen Haynor (PU) 6-0, 7-52. Amy Walgenbach (PU) def. Sarah Foster (UK) 6-1, 7-53. Joelle Schwenk (UK) def. Hala Sufi (PU) 3-6, 6-4, 6-0*4. Lara Maurer (UK) def. Alyssa Rodriguez (PU) 6-2, 6-05. Melissa Woods (PU) def. Liis Sober (UK) 6-2, 7-56. Kim Coventry (UK) def. Lara Burgarello (PU) 6-3, 6-1
Doubles1. Haynor/Woods (PU) def. Foster/Kalsarieva (UK) 8-32. Burgarello/Rodriguez (PU) def. Schwenk/Coventry (UK) 8-23. Walgenbach/Sufi (PU) def. Maurer/Sober (UK) 8-1
Order of singles finish: 4, 6, 1, 2, 5, 3Order of doubles finish: 3, 1, 2
* Denotes match-clinching win.
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