April 28, 2011
MADISON, Wis. - The Purdue Boilermakers knocked off the Iowa Hawkeyes in the first round of the Big Ten Tournament, 4-2, on Thursday.
Purdue (13-12) came from behind and picked up the crucial doubles point with victories at No. 2 and No. 3. After Will Vasos and Marc Bruche defeated Pawel Poziomski and Szymon Tatarczyk at No. 1, the Boilermakers had their back against wall in the remaining two matches. With the match at No. 2 back and forth, Eric Ramos and Krisztian Krocsko came up with a huge win over Jonas Dierckx and Austen Kauss, 8-5. No. 3 doubles was a very similar situation with Aaron Dujovne and Mark Kovacs outlasting Garret Dunn and Tom Mroziewicz, 8-6, to give Purdue to early edge.
Iowa (8-13) quickly answered. Bruche claimed victory over Tatarczyk, who was forced to retire after just three games. Krocsko responded to regain the lead for the Boilermakers with a big win at No. 4 over 6'8 Dunn, 7-6 (5), 6-4. However, Iowa would not go quietly. Mroziewicz turned in a solid performance against Poziomski at No. 6 to level the score at two.
That was the last point that Iowa would win.
Ramos was next to finish as he simply wore down Dierckx at No. 5. After winning the first set, 6-3, Ramos fell in the second, 5-7, and the battle was on for the crucial point in the team score. Ramos turned up his game and played a dominant third set to win, 6-1, and put the Boilermakers within a point of victory.
Kovacs and Vasos competed at No.2 in what was the most excited match of the afternoon. Kovacs dominated the first set, 6-2, but couldn't hold on in the second as he fell, 5-7. With Dujovne struggling a little bit in his third set, Kovacs knew he needed the win for the team. The set went back and forth until Kovacs was able to hold on in a tiebreak, 7-6, to clinch send Purdue on to the second round of the tournament. Dujovne's match ended unfinished with the score 6-3, 3-6, 2-5.
Purdue advances to face instate rival and second seed Indiana on Friday at 2 p.m. CT. Indiana finished the regular season 22-6 with just one loss in the Big Ten to Ohio State. The Boilermakers and Hoosiers met earlier this season in Bloomington on March 12, with Indiana coming out on top, 6-1.