April 23, 2004
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Top-ranked Illinois proved why it is considered the best team in the nation, as it handed No. 62 Purdue a 7-0 loss in the penultimate Big Ten match of the season for both teams Friday in Champaign. The Fighting Illini, the 2003 NCAA champion in an undefeated season, improved to 24-0 overall and 9-0 in the league with their 56th-consecutive victory. The Boilermakers slipped to 9-11 (4-5 Big Ten) with the loss.
Purdue head coach Tim Madden knew a win at Illinois would be hard to come by.
"Illinois is as strong as ever," Madden said. "No matter what you try to throw at them, they just keep bringing high-powered tennis. They dictated play."
The match started well for the Boilermakers, who came out victorious in the first contest to come off the court. At No. 1 doubles, senior Troy Havens and junior David Robinson upset the nation's fourth-ranked team of Brian Wilson and Phil Stolt, 8-5.
Unfortunately for the Boilermakers, Illinois steamrolled over the rest of the doubles and singles lineup, winning the eight remaining matches.
Sophomore Paul Rose dropped a 6-2, 6-3 decision to Wilson, the nation's top-ranked singles player, at No. 1. Sophomore Colin Foster and freshman Eric Hodgman had their singles matches extended to three sets before falling in match-breakers.
Purdue will finish its regular season Saturday, April 24, when it plays host to Indiana at noon. The match against the 59th-ranked Hoosiers, which will be worth one point in the Titan Series, will be played at the Varsity Courts. In case of inclement weather, the match will move indoors to the Lafayette Sports Center.
#1 Illinois 7, #62 Purdue 0Singles1. #1 Brian Wilson (UI) def. #117 Paul Rose (PU) 6-2, 6-22. #36 Phil Stolt (UI) def. Troy Havens (PU) 6-2, 6-33. #113 Ryler Deheart (UI) def. David Robinson (PU) 7-6, 6-44. Michael Calkins (UI) def. Sounak Chatterjee (PU) 6-1, 6-35. G.D. Jones (UI) def. Colin Foster (PU) 4-6, 6-4, 10-16. Evan Zeder (UI) def. Eric Hodgman (PU) 6-1, 4-6, 12-10- P -
Doubles1. Havens/Robinson (PU) def. #4 Wilson/Stolt (UI) 8-52. Jones/Deheart (UI) def. Chatterjee/Filip Koziell (PU) 8-53. Calkins/Zeder (UI) def. Rose/Scott Warner (UI) 8-5
Purdue: 9-11 (4-5 Big Ten)Illinois: 24-0 (9-0 Big Ten)