March 8, 2008
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Purdue's women's tennis team (2-7, 0-1 Big Ten) dropped a 4-3 decision to No. 65 Illinois (5-4, 1-0 Big Ten) Saturday afternoon at the Schwartz Tennis Center.
Brooke Beier and Stephanie Wooten won both their singles matches and together in doubles. Joanna Craven and Cigdem Duru also were victorious at No. 2 doubles, but that momentum did not carry into singles where Purdue lost four of six contests.
Boilermaker head coach Laura Glitz was pleased with the team's energy level in spite of the end result.
"We were prepared and we did everything that we had been working on in practice," she said. "We were right there with them (Illinois) but could not close it out."
Purdue opened the match by winning the doubles point for the fifth time in nine opportunities this season. Craven and Duru beat up Marisa Lambropoulos and Shivani Dave, 8-3, while Wooten and Beier held off Megan Fudge and Leigh Finnegan at No. 1, 8-6.
Beier and Wooten improved to 4-0 this spring and are 3-0 at the No. 1 position.
After exchanging several leads with Finnegan and Fudge in the early goings, Wooten and Beier found themselves down 40-30 with the match knotted at 5-5. With Illinois serving, Wooten utilized a quick reflex in returning a service and got her team back in the game at deuce.
Purdue went on to win that point, which provided a lead they would not surrender.
Wooten and Beier played great singles tennis as well.
Wooten was first off the court at No. 3 singles following her 6-2, 6-2 win over Lambropoulos, and Beier was the last removed with a tightly contested 6-4, 7-6 (5) triumph over Fudge at No. 1.
Glitz said this was a good match for Beier.
"Her opponent was deceivingly good and played a frustrating game," she said. "But Brooke played well and had some great serves and volleys. I thought she was consistent at the baseline, but knew when to play closer at the net and that created some pressure."
Purdue will enjoy Spring Break and their first outdoor practices since October this week in Long Beach, Calif. The team travels west Sunday and will practice both Monday and Tuesday before playing at Long Beach State Wednesday afternoon at 2 p.m. PT.
Since the Boilermakers won't return to Indiana until next Saturday, coach Glitz also has arranged for the team to watch a few rounds of the ATP/Pacific Life Open at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden.
Purdue's next home match is scheduled for March 29 at 11 a.m. vs. No. 1 Northwestern. Admission is free.