Looking over the season Purdue head coach Tim Madden stated, "this is the most resilient and persistent team I have ever been a part of, which is a product of great chemistry and leadership."
This leadership has consistently come from senior Troy Havens. This weekend Havens finished off his career with a win over the fourth ranked Illini doubles team yesterday in Champaign and with two solid wins today at home.
His first win came in doubles at No. 1 where he and junior David Robinson captured the lone victory defeating McCarthy and Kenner 8-6. At No. 2 juniors Sounak Chatterjee and Filip Koziell lost a hard fought match 9-8 to Praibis and Ishtuganov and at No. 3 sophomores Paul Rose and Colin Foster lost 8-6 to Recht and Bagnato.
The Boilermakers were down 2-1 coming into the first rain delay. At No. 6 freshman Eric Hodgman dominated Ryan McCarthy 6-2, 6-2 while Robinson fell to Neil Kenner 6-4, 6-4 at No. 3.
The remaining four matches were all decided indoors, in three sets, and in the Boilermakers favor. At No. 1, Rose defeated Jakub Praibis 2-6, 6-2, 7-6. At No. 4 Chatterjee beat Bagnato 6-2, 4-6. 6-0. Clinching the match at No. 5, Foster defeated Bubenicek 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, and at No. 2 Havens outmatched his long time opponent Ryan Recht 7-6, 6-7, 6-3.
"Today our guys had the refuse to lose mentality," Madden said.
Next up for the Purdue men's tennis team is the Big Ten Tournament set to begin April 29 in East Lansing.
No. 62 Purdue 5, No. 59 Indiana 2Singles1. Paul Rose (PU) def. Jakub Praibis (IU) 2-6, 6-2, 7-62. Troy Havens (PU) def. Ryan Recht (IU) 7-6, 6-7, 6-33. Neil Kenner (IU) def. David Robinson (PU) 6-4, 6-44. Sounak Chatterjee (PU) def. Tom Bagnato (IU) 6-2, 4-6, 6-05. Colin Foster (PU) def. David Bubenicek (IU) 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 *6. Eric Hodgman (PU) def. Ryan McCarthy (IU) 6-2, 6-2- P -
Doubles1. Havens/Robinson (PU) def. McCarthy/Kenner (IU) 8-62. Praibis/Ishtuganov (IU) def. Chatterjee/Filip Koziell (PU) 9-83. Recht/Bagnato (IU) def. Rose/Scott Warner (PU) 8-6
*Denotes match-clinching victory.