Feb. 20, 2011
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - With its third won over them in three years, the 52nd-ranked Purdue women's tennis team (6-1) scored its sixth win of the season against Missouri on Sunday, topping the Tigers 5-2 at the Schwartz Tennis Center.
It was also the sixth time Purdue has won the doubles point this spring and the fourth doubles sweep for the Old Gold and Black.
At top of the doubles lineup, nationally 17th-ranked team of Jennifer Rabot and Mara Schmidt were quickly up a break against Kaitlyn Ritchie and Mallory Weber, 3-2. Again they broke the serve of the Tigers at 5-2 and extended their lead to a 8-4 win over the Tiger team.
In similar fashion, Anna Dushkina and Gisella Pere managed to break Maria Christensen and Jamie Mera twice leading to a 5-1 score. The duo would only allow two more games for the Missouri team before closing out, 8-3 at No. 2.
On the 3rd doubles court, Bhavani Tirumurti and Imogen Golder were down a break to Rachel Stuhlmann and Marlen Hacke at 3-5, but came back to even it out, 5-all. Again the Boilermakers were down a break at 5-7, but the pair broke back to force the tiebreaker. The tight contest ended with a tiebreaker that was just as close as the match, 8-7 (7-5).
With Purdue only needing three overall point to clinch the match, senior Tirumurti quickly contributed her's at No. 3 singles. In her seventh consecutive win, the sole Purdue senior swiftly wrapped up her first set against Hacke 6-2. The second set was closer, but Tirumurti was too tough, winning 6-2, 6-4.
Next was freshman Schmidt on the second court with a solid 6-2 first set over Kaitlyn Ritchie. Ritchie was not easily broken in the second set when the pair came to a 5-all tie. Schmidt pulled ahead from there to claim her point 6-2, 7-5.
Sophomore Imogen Golder faced Mahdi Besovic at No. 6 singles where a tight match stood at 5-5 in the first set. The Boilermaker earned herself two games from there to claim set No. 1, 7-5. The second set saw a 4-all tie that Golder would again win 7-5, 6-4, clinching the overall match for Purdue 4-0.
The three remaining matches had split sets on courts No. 1, 4 and 5. In the top singles spot, junior Jennifer Rabot dropped the first frame to Mallory Weber 4-6 and stolen back the second 7-5. Rabot got out to a strong 5-1 in the final set and from there closed 4-6, 7-5, 6-2 over Weber.
At No. 4 singles Anna Dushkina had also fallen in the first to her opponent, Maria Christensen, 4-6. The Purdue junior turned a 4-2 lead in the set No. 2 into a 7-5 second set win, but Christensen forced a tough third set that was be decided by a tiebreaker, 6-4, 5-7, 7-6 (7-4) for the Tiger.
Sophomore Gisella Pere at No. 5 easily took her first set from Jamie Mera 6-2, but Mera split from there 6-4 in the second frame. Their third also required a tiebreaker and again Missouri would take it 2-6, 6-4, 7-6 (7-4).
The Boilermakers knock off the undefeated Tigers (4-1) who narrowly edged Louisville 4-3 on Saturday in the first half of their weekend road trip.
Head coach Laura Glitz leads her team to Great Northeast next weekend for a two-stop road trip against Boston College on Saturday, Feb. 26, at 3 p.m. ET in Weymouth, Mass., and No. 55 Harvard on Sunday, Feb. 27, at noon ET in Boston.
For full results and recap please visit purduesports.com.
No. 52 Purdue vs. Missouri - Agate
Feb. 20, 2011
West Lafayette, Ind. - Schwartz Tennis Center
Purdue (6-1) 5, Missouri (4-1) 2
Doubles
1. No. 17 Jennifer Rabot/Mara Schmidt (PUR) def. Kaitlyn Ritchie/Mallory Weber (MIZZ) 8-4
2. Anna Dushkina/Gisella Pere (PUR) def. Maria Christensen/Jamie Mera (MIZZ) 8-3
3. Bhavani Tirumurti/Imogen Golder (Purdue) def. Rachel Stuhlmann/Marlen Hacke (MIZZ) 8-7 (7-5)
Order of Finish: 1, 2*, 3
Singles
1. Jennifer Rabot (PUR) def. Mallory Weber (MIZZ) 4-6, 7-5, 6-2
2. Mara Schmidt (PUR) def. Kaitlyn Ritchie (MIZZ) 6-2, 7-5
3. Bhavani Tirumurti (PUR) def. Marlen Hacke (MIZZ) 6-2, 6-4
4. Maria Christensen (MIZZ) def. Anna Dushkina (PUR) 6-4, 5-7, 7-6 (7-4)
5. Jamie Mera (MIZZ) def. Gisella Pere (PUR) 2-6, 6-4, 7-6 (7-4)
6. Imogen Golder (PUR) def. Mahdi Besovic (MIZZ) 7-5, 6-4
Order of Finish: 3, 2, 6*, 1, 4, 5