March 28, 2004
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - In a match with five sets determined by tiebreakers, the Purdue men's tennis team came out on the short end of a 5-2 decision at Minnesota on Sunday. The loss dropped the 74th-ranked Boilermakers to 6-7 (1-1 Big Ten), while the victory improved the 47th-ranked Golden Gophers to 7-7 (3-1 Big Ten).
Purdue head coach Tim Madden was encouraged by his team's performance, despite the heartbreaking loss.
"This was our toughest effort of the season," Madden said. "I was very pleased with the competitive level we brought to this match."
The Boilermakers got on the scoreboard first by winning two of three doubles matches to take the doubles point. Senior Troy Havens and junior David Robinson combined to beat Clay Estes and Avery Ticer 8-1 at No. 1, while juniors Sounak Chatterjee and Filip Koziell teamed for an 8-3 win over Dusan Tabak and Sion Wilkins at No. 2.
Purdue needed to win three of six singles matches to claim the team victory. Unfortunately, the Boilermakers could muster just one behind sophomore Colin Foster, who beat Estes 7-5, 3-6, 6-4 at No. 5.
Robinson lost in a third-set tiebreaker at No. 4, as did freshman Eric Hodgman at No. 6. Those wins, in addition to Foster's, would have given Purdue its second Big Ten victory in as many days.
"It was one of those heartbreakers," Madden said. "We looked very strong in doubles, and we fought hard in singles. We just came up short in tiebreaker after tiebreaker."
Purdue will return to action next weekend, when it travels to Northwestern and Wisconsin on April 3 and 4.
#47 Minnesota 5, #74 Purdue 2Singles1. Chris Wettengel (UM) def. Paul Rose (PU) 6-3, 7-62. Aleksey Zharinov (UM) def. Troy Havens (PU) 7-6, 3-6, 7-63. Avery Ticer (UM) def. Sounak Chatterjee (PU) 6-2, 7-54. Andres Osorio (UM) def. David Robinson (PU) 4-6, 6-1, 7-65. Colin Foster (PU) def. Clay Estes (UM) 7-5, 3-6, 6-46. Brian Lipinski (UM) def. Eric Hodgman (PU) 5-7, 6-3, 7-6Doubles1. Havens/Robinson (PU) def. Estes/Ticer (UM) 8-12. Chatterjee/Filip Koziell (PU) def. Dusan Tabak/Sion Wilkins (UM) 8-33. Wettengel/Osario (UM) def. Rose/Warner (PU) 8-6
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