Feb. 17, 2006
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - For the first time since 2001, home-court advantage in the men's tennis series between Purdue and Ball State did not matter. The 69th-ranked Cardinals defeated the 71st-ranked Boilermakers 5-2 at the Lafayette Sports Center on Friday, marking the first time in the last five years the visiting team won on a hostile court.
Ball State began the evening match by winning the doubles point behind victories at No. 1 and No. 2. The success carried over into singles, as the Cardinals won the first three matches that came off the court to clinch the team decision. They added an insurance win at No. 1 before the Boilermakers got on the board with wins at No. 6 and No. 3 by juniors Matt Zollman and Eric Hodgman.
Purdue head coach Tim Madden was unhappy with the outcome, but nonetheless pleased by his team's effort.
"We fought hard," Madden said. "Ball State is just a more experienced team than we are."
Ball State has three seniors in its singles lineup, compared to one for Purdue. All four Purdue freshmen competed in singles, doubles or both against the Cardinals.
Purdue, now 4-3, will face an even tougher challenge Sunday, when it travels to Lexington, Ky., to face the 19th-ranked Wildcats.
Ball State, the reigning Mid-American Conference champion, is now 8-3.
#69 Ball State 5, #71 Purdue 2
Singles
1. Matthew Baccarani (BSU) def. Colin Foster (P) 6-3, 3-6, 6-1
2. Joe Epkey (BSU) def. Patrick Rose (P) 6-3, 6-1
3. Eric Hodgman (P) def. Tony Epkey (BSU) 6-4, 3-6, 7-6
4. Patrick Thompson (BSU) def. Jarred Leibner (P) 6-3, 7-6
5. Jarrod Epkey (BSU) def. Kelubia Mabatah (P) 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 *
6. Matt Zollman (P) def. Jose Perdomo (BSU) 6-1, 4-6, 7-6
Doubles
1. Baccarani/Thompson (BSU) def. Hodgman/Patrick Rose (P) 8-6
2. Tony Epkey/Jarrod Epkey (BSU) def. Mabatah/Griffin Nienberg (P) 9-7
3. Foster/Kurt Zaske (P) def. Joe Epkey/Joe Vallee (BSU) 8-4
Order of singles finish: 2,4,5,1,6,3
Order of doubles finish: 3,1,2
* Denotes match-clinching victory.
Purdue 4-3
Ball State 8-3
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