April 24, 2011
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - The Purdue women's tennis team hosted their final home dual-match on Sunday against Big Ten Conference border-rival No. 62 Ohio State Buckeyes (14-10, 7-3). The Boilermakers (13-7, 7-3) also celebrated Senior Day for sole senior Bhavani Tirumurti.
For the second consecutive year Purdue claims a 4-3 win over Ohio State and evens the all-time series tally 22-22. This final dual-match of regular season Big Ten action, places the Boilermakers in third place, set to receive the third seed in the Big Ten Tournament next weekend in Ann Arbor, Mich. This is the best conference finish for Purdue since 1998 (tied for second).
The Boilermakers complete their season 10-1 at home and undefeated 5-0 in Big Ten play at Schwartz Tennis Center.
The Old Gold and Black (No. 57) upset the then-No. 30 Buckeyes in 2010 for their biggest win of the year 4-3. Jennifer Rabot, Bhavani Tirumurti and Gisella Pere grabbed singles wins in that match. Rabot and doubles partner Michelle Sammons beat Kelsey Haviland and Cami Hubbs 8-3 while Imogen Golder and Tirumurti defeated Gabby Steele and Fidan Manashirova 8-5 for the doubles point. Purdue had not won that matchup in the three years previous.
The Buckeyes grabbed the doubles point, but not until Rabot and Schmidt had defeated Kelsey Haviland and Cami Hubbs 8-5 at No. 1 doubles.
For the third time this season, the Purdue claimed the dual-match with four singles wins. After the doubles point, the Buckeyes took the second and pivotal third overall points (Nos. 4 and 5), but four courts stood undecided.
First with a Purdue point was sophomore Pere who came back from a 0-3 deficit to Hubbs in the first set to force the tiebreaker. The Boilermaker came out strong with a 4-0 lead in the tiebreaker, before closing it out for the first set 7-6 (7-2). Again Pere fell behind in the second set 3-5, but netted herself the next four games to win her second solo match against Ohio State in two years 7-6 (7-2), 7-5.
Midway through Pere's second set, her teammates Rabot, Schmidt and Tirumurti had also claimed their first sets at Nos. 1, 2, and 3 singles. Although Rabot sat at 5-3 in the second, Tirumurti and Schmidt faced 4-all in their second and third sets, respectively.
Rabot led Paloma Escobedo 5-3 in set No. 2 after taking the first 6-4. Escobedo pushed back drawing even at 5-all and eventually forced the tiebreaker. The Purdue junior saw an early 1-4 set back in the deciding points and only allowed the Buckeye one more point before finishing her off 6-4, 7-6 (7-5). Rabot defeated Escobedo in 2010 1-6, 7-5, 6-4 at No. 2 singles.
Also with a back-to-back win was senior Bhavani Tirumurti. Last season the Chennai, India native beat Kelsey Haviland 6-4, 6-3. Haviland made it more difficult this time around splitting sets with Tirumurti. Haviland pushed the Boilermaker to 5-all and after seizing her sixth game, was denied match points at 6-5, 40-30. Tirumurti saved herself and powered through the eventual tiebreaker for Purdue's third overall point 6-2, 4-6, 7-6 (7-3).
The match rested on No. 3 singles where Purdue's only freshman, Mara Schmidt had earned the first set 6-3 over Gabby Steele. Steele turned a 4-all second set draw into a 6-4 win. The first four games all reached deuce points, but Schmidt came out on top 3-1 and broke Steele again at 4-1. The Boilermaker extended her lead to 5-2 and clinched the match after another set of deuce points 6-3, 4-6, 6-3.
The Old Gold and Black appear as the third overall seed next weekend at the Big Ten Conference Tournament hosted by University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. Purdue meets the winner of the match between the No. 6 and No. 11 seeds in the second round. The tournament beings Apr. 28 and runs through May 1.
No. 68 Purdue vs. No.62 Ohio State - Agate
Apr. 24, 2011
West Lafayette, Ind. - Schwartz Tennis Center
Purdue (13-7, 7-3) 4, Ohio State (14-10, 7-3) 3
Doubles
1. No. 54 Jennifer Rabot/Mara Schmidt (Purdue) def. Kelsey Haviland/Cami Hubbs(OSU) 8-5
2. Kara Cecil/Noelle Malley (OSU) def. Gisella Pere/Anna Dushkina (Purdue) 8-1
3. Gabby Steele/Fidan Manashirova (OSU) def. Imogen Golder/Bhavani Tirumurti (Purdue) 8-4
Order of Finish: 2,1,3*
Singles
1. Jennifer Rabot (Purdue) def. Paloma Escobedo (OSU) 6-4, 7-6, (7-5)
2. Bhavani Tirumurti (Purdue) def. Kelsey Haviland (OSU) 6-2, 4-6, (7-3)
3. Mara Schmidt (Purdue) def. Gabby Steele (OSU) 6-3, 4-6, 6-3
4. Kara Cecil (OSU) def. Anna Dushkina (Purdue) 6-3, 6-1
5. Fidan Manashirova (OSU) def. Imogen Golder (Purdue) 6-4, 6-2
6. Gisella Pere (Purdue) def. Cami Hubbs (OSU) 7-6 (7-2), 7-5
Order of Finish: 4, 5, 6, 2, 1, 3*