April 11, 2004
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - The Purdue women's tennis team snapped a three-match losing streak with a 4-3 win at Penn State on Sunday. The 55th-ranked Boilermakers improved to 8-10 overall and 3-4 in the Big Ten with the victory, while the Nittany Lions fell to 6-12 (0-6 Big Ten).
The Boilermakers took the first point of the match by winning two of three doubles contests. Junior Shawna Zuccarini and freshman Hala Sufi teamed for an 8-4 win against Sarah Spence and Maaria Husain at No. 2, while junior Lara Burgarello and freshman Alyssa Rodriguez delivered an 8-3 win over Sasha Abraham and Katelyn BeVard at No. 3.
In singles, Sufi came through with a 6-1, 6-2 victory over Leigh Ann Merryman at No. 1. Rodriguez rallied to defeat Spence 2-6, 6-2, 6-4 at No. 4, while Zuccarini provided the match-clinching win over Abraham, by a 7-6, 3-6, 6-3 score at No. 5.
Purdue head coach Mat Iandolo was happy to see his Boilermakers get back on the winning track.
"This is a big win for us," Iandolo said. "Anytime you can win on the road in the Big Ten, you have to feel pretty good about yourselves."
The Boilermakers will play Michigan and Michigan State at home next weekend.
#55 Purdue 4, Penn State 3Singles1. Hala Sufi (PU) def. Leigh Ann Merryman (PSU) 6-1, 6-22. Megan Marton (PSU) def. Gretchen Haynor (PU) 6-2, 6-23. Maaria Husain (PSU) def. Amy Walgenbach (PU) 6-2, 7-64. Alyssa Rodriguez (PU) def. Sarah Spence (PSU) 2-6, 6-2, 6-45. Shawna Zuccarini (PU) def. Sasha Abraham (PSU) 7-6, 3-6, 6-36. Katelyn BeVard (PSU) def. Melissa Woods (PU) 6-3, 6-4
Doubles1. Merryman/Marton (PSU) def. Haynor/Woods (PU) 8-42. Zuccarini/Sufi (PU) def. Spence/Husain (PSU) 8-43. Lara Burgarello/Rodriguez (PU) def. Abraham/BeVard (PSU) 8-3
Purdue: 8-10 (3-4 Big Ten)Penn State: 6-12 (0-6 Big Ten)
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