Feb. 12, 2011
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - The Boilermakers hosted the 26th-ranked South Carolina Gamecocks on Saturday at the Schwartz Tennis Center. The No. 53 Purdue team played the Gamecocks closer than the 6-1 score would indicate.
South Carolina started well in doubles where Anya Morgina and Katerina Popova defeated 68th-ranked Bhavani Tirumurti and Imogen Golder on the third court, 8-1. Following that was Dijana Stojic and Dominika Kanakova over No. 13 Jennifer Rabot and Mara Schmidt 8-4 at No. 1 doubles.
Closing out the doubles point at No. 2 was Anna Dushkina and Gisella Pere who kept it close, but fell to Madeleine Saari-Byst and Josefin Andersson 8-6.
"I was disappointed in our doubles play today," said head coach Laura Glitz. "Tomorrow we need to begin with energy right from the start of doubles. I thought we competed hard in singles. South Carolina, though, was just tougher on the crucial points."
The Gamecocks claimed the first singles point and second overall on the second court where Mara Schmidt dropped a 6-3, 6-0 decision to Stojic, the 93rd-ranked singles player (ITA).
Displaying senior leadership, Tirumurti came up with a 6-2, 6-0 vicotry over Saari-Bystrom at No. 3 for the first Purdue point.
On the fifth singles court, sophomore Golder was edged by Kanakova 6-4 in the first set. The Boilermaker came back tough in the second forcing her opponent to hold serve all set until Kanakova closed out the match 6-4, 7-5.
At No. 4, junior Dushkina came up short against No. 117 Popova in the first set 6-3 and had fallen 0-5 in the second when she attempted the comeback of the match. The Richmond Hill, Ontario, native took four straight games to stand at 4-5, but Popova was too much, claiming the match 6-3, 6-4 and clinching the overall contest for South Carolina.
Morgina had barely escaped Rabot in the first set 7-6 (7-3) at No. 1 singles. Rabot continued to play tough with the No. 37 singles player in the nation, holding the match even at 5-5 late in the second. Morgina went to work from there, winning 7-6 (7-3), 7-5.
Gisella had run all over Andersson in the first set 6-3 at No. 6, but Andersson forced her way back into the match in the second spitting with Pere, 6-4. The third set stayed tight trading breaks and forcing a tie breaker that would end on Andersson's side 3-6, 6-4, 7-6 (8-6).
The Old Gold and Black look to rebound against another Southeastern Conference foe Sunday when they welcome the Kentucky Wildcats at noon ET.
There is no admission to the Schwartz Tennis Center. Free pizza will be offered to all Purdue women's tennis fans. Live results and streaming video can be found at purduesports.com.
No. 53 Purdue vs. No. 26 South Carolina - Agate
Feb. 12, 2011
West Lafayette, Ind. - Schwartz Tennis Center
South Carolina (4-1) 6, Purdue (4-1) 1
Doubles
1. Dijana Stojic/Dominika Kanakova def. (SCar) No. 13 Jennifer Rabot/Mara Schmidt (Purdue) 8-4
2. Madeleine Saari-Byst/Josefin Andersson (SCar) def. Anna Dushkina/Gisella Pere (Purdue) 8-6
3. Anya Morgina/Katerina Popova (SCar) def. No. 68 Bhavani Tirumurti/Imogen Golder (Purdue) 8-1
Order of Finish: 3, 1*, 2
Singles
1. No. 37 Anya Morgina (SCar) def. Jennifer Rabot (PUR) 7-6 (7-3), 7-5
2. No. 93 Dijana Stojic (SCar) def. Mara Schmidt (Purdue) 6-3, 6-0
3. Bhavani Tirumurti (Purdue) def. Madeleine Saari-Byst (SCar) 6-2, 6-0
4. No. 117 Katerina Popova (SCar) def. Anna Dushkina (PUR) 6-3, 6-4
5. Dominika Kanakova (SCar) def. Imogen Golder (PUR) 6-4, 7-5
6. Josefin Andersson (SCar) def. Gisella Pere (PUR) 3-6, 6-4, 7-6 (8-6)
Order of Finish: 2, 3, 5, 4*, 1, 6