April 29, 2011
ANN ARBOR, Mich. - The Purdue women's tennis team fell in the quarterfinals of the Big Ten Tournament on Friday. The No. 3 seed Boilermakers (13-8, 7-3) lost a 4-1 heartbreaker to sixth-seeded Illinois.
The Illini (12-12, 5-5) beat No. 11 placed Michigan State 4-0 on Thursday to advance to the quarterfinals.
Doubles, which would prove to be pivotal, began on a sunny, but windy, day. The Illini grabbed a significant lead at No. 2 doubles up 5-0 early, but at Nos. 1 and 3 the teams traded serves. No. 39 Rachael White and Allison Falkin took a step up 5-3 with an overruled call over No. 60 Jennifer Rabot and Mara Schmidt, but the Boilermaker team battled breaking back at 4-5.
As Illinois' second team claimed their point 8-2, both No. 1 and 3 stood at 4-5. The No. 1 Illini team stayed up a break at 4-6 and 5-7. Rabot and Schmidt took a last game at 6-7, before falling at 30-40, 6-8.
Bhavani Tirumurti and Imogen Golder's match with Amy Allin and Chelcie Abaijan was abandoned with the Boilermakers up 6-5.
With the doubles point and momentum in their favor, Illinois grabbed first sets at Nos. 1, 2, 3, 4 and 6 singles. In the top spot, Rabot rallied against White in the second set for her own 6-4 frame. At No. 3 singles, freshman Schmidt also forced a third set, splitting with Breanne Smutko with a 6-3 set No. 2. Gisella Pere was narrowly edged by Annie McCarthy 7-6 (7-4) at No. 6 singles in the first set. Pere fought back for to get the second set in equally close fashion 7-6 (7-5).
Claiming Purdue's point was Imogen Golder on the fifth singles court. Golder, 13-6 this year from No. 5, earned a 5-1 lead in the first, before taking set No. 1 6-2 from Misia Kedzierski. The Boilermaker sophomore only allowed Kedzierski three more games on her way to a 6-2, 6-3 victory.
After the Boilermakers dropped the points at Nos. 2 and 4 singles and the overall total sat 3-1 for Illinois, Rabot, Schmidt and Pere's matches were still undecided. The third set between Rabot and White began with battling start, until the Illinois player saw a lead at 4-2. White went on to claim match and win for Illinois 6-1, 4-6, 6-3.
Schmidt led her match with Smutko 4-1 in the third when it was abandoned after the clinching match. Pere and McCarthy did not play any points in the third set.
Rabot and Tirumurti were honored with All-Big Ten Second Team accolades at Thursday night's banquet. Rabot is a two-time honoree receiving All-Big Ten First Team as a sophomore.
No. 61 Purdue vs. Illinois - Agate
Apr. 29, 2011
West Lafayette, Ind. - Schwartz Tennis Center
Illinois (12-12, 5-5) 4, Purdue (13-8, 7-3) 1
Doubles
1. No. 39 Rachael White/Allison Falkin (ILL) def. No. 60 Jennifer Rabot/Mara Schmidt (Purdue) 8-6
2. Annie McCarthy/Breanne Smutko (ILL) def. Gisella Pere/Anna Dushkina (Purdue) 8-2
3. Imogen Golder/Bhavani Tirumurti (Purdue) vs. Amy Allin/Chelcie Abaijan (Ill) 6-5 abd.
Order of Finish: 2, 1*
Singles
1. Rachael White (ILL) def. Jennifer Rabot (Purdue) 6-1, 4-6, 6-3
2. Amy Allin (ILL) def. Bhavani Tirumurti (Purdue) 6-3, 6-4
3. Mara Schmidt (Purdue) vs. Breanne Smutko (ILL) 4-6, 6-3, 4-1, abd.
4. Allison Falkin (ILL) def. Anna Dushkina (Purdue) 6-3, 7-5
5. Imogen Golder (Purdue) def. Misia Kedzierski (ILL) 6-2, 6-3
6. Gisella Pere (Purdue) vs. Annie McCarthy (ILL) 6-7 (4-7), 7-6 (7-5)
Order of Finish: 5, 2, 4, 1*