Feb. 21, 2009
The Purdue women's tennis team beat Oklahoma 6-1 Saturday inside the Penn State Indoor Tennis Center in State College, Pa.
"It was a great team effort," head coach Laura Glitz said. "The entire team competed extremely well, and our intensity and focus was the best I have seen all season. I am very proud of the way the team played today and look forward to the match tomorrow."
Purdue (4-4) won the doubles point for the fifth time this season and improved to 4-1 when winning the initial point. Co-captain Tatiana Ganzha and freshman Anna Dushkina gave the Boilermakers an early advantage by defeating Peta Maree Lancaster and Kristina Radan 8-4 at No. 3 singles.
The point was clinched at No. 1 singles when co-captain Stephanie Wooten and junior Michelle Sammons claimed an 8-5 decision over Ana-Maria Constantinescu and Maria Kalashnikova. Tara Eckel and Marie-Pier Huet defeated Purdue's freshman duo of Jennifer Rabot and Remi Martin 8-7 (3) at No. 2.
The Boilermakers extended their lead in singles play. Rabot improved to 6-2 this season with a commanding 6-2, 6-0 win over Lancaster at No. 4 singles. Wooten won her fourth match of 2009 to go against three losses by defeating Kalashnikova 6-3, 6-3 at No. 2.
Oklahoma (3-3) got on the board as Constantinescu remained undefeated from the No. 1 position with her 6-2, 6-3 win over Sammons. The match was clinched at No. 3, where Ganzha earned her fifth win this season with a 5-7, 6-1, 6-2 defeat of Radan.
Purdue widened its margin of victory by winning the final two singles matches. Martin defeated Eckel 6-2, 6-3 at No. 5, and Dushkina beat Huet 6-4, 4-6, 1-0 (6) at No. 6. With Saturday's victory, the Boilermakers matched their win total from all of last season.
Purdue returns to action inside the Penn State Indoor Tennis Center Sunday at 11 a.m. against Penn State. The Nittany Lions are 2-6 this season after falling 6-1 to Oklahoma Friday. Sunday's match is the Big Ten opener for both teams.