March 3, 2012
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - In a battle of evenly matched teams, the Purdue men's tennis team pulled out a come-from-behind thriller over the No. 58 Maryland Terrapins, 4-3, on Saturday at the Schwartz Tennis Center.
Szymon Tatarczyk clinched the match for Purdue (5-3) with a comeback win at the No. 1 singles spot over the No. 91 singles player in the country. The Boilermakers fought back from down 3-0 to tie the score leaving just Tatarczyk on the court against Maros Horny. Tatarczyk had dropped the first set, 6-2, before rallying back in the second to even the match at one set apiece with a 6-3 win.
In the final set, the Purdue sophomore trailed 5-4, but was on serve to try to again even the score. Down 30-40 in that game, Tatarczyk hit a crosscourt shot that beat Horny. The senior from Maryland called the ball wide which would give him the match and the Terrapins the win. However, Tatarczyk challenged the call and the chair judge overturned the call keeping Tatarczyk and the Boilermakers alive. The sophomore came back and won the game and eventually the match would need a tiebreak.
Tatarczyk led 6-5 in the tiebreak, but Horny had the serve. The Purdue sophomore from Gorzyczki, Poland, was able to return a big serve, though Horny was on the aggressive. The Maryland senior hit a shot in the corner to Tatarczyk's forehand, a ball that seemed to possibly be out of reach. However, sophomore got to the ball and hit a strong forehand past the charging Terrapin for the match winner.
In doubles, Maryland (3-6) jumped out to the early lead as the Terrapins were able to sweep the point. Tommy Laine and Vlad Stefan finished first with a win at No. 2, 8-5. Maryland clinched the point with a win at No. 3, 8-3. Tatarczyk and Aaron Dujovne battled tough with the nation's No. 36 doubles team, but came up short in the end, 9-8 (4).
Mark Kovacs got the Boilermakers on the board for the first time, cutting the deficit to 3-1, with a 7-6 (4), 6-4 win at No. 2 over No. 122 Stefan. Krisztian Krocsko kept Purdue alive with a comeback win at No. 4, 3-6, 6-4, 6-1. Diego Acosta helped rally the team all afternoon with his fiery attitude and loud yells. He won his match at No. 5 to even the score at three, 4-6, 6-2, 6-1.
The Boilermakers will be off for nine days before returning to action to face Baylor in Los Angeles. That match will headline a week long California trip which also features the San Diego Invitational. Purdue finished second in that tournament a year ago.