April 28, 2012
COLUMBUS, Ohio - The No. 30 women's tennis team pulled off the biggest win in school history as it knocked off the No. 11 team overall and top seed in the Big Ten Tournament the Northwestern Wildcats. Jennifer Rabot clinched the 4-2 win with a victory over No. 19 Kate Turvy at No. 1 to give Purdue its first ever berth in the Big Ten Championship match.
Northwestern had previously won the Big Ten Tournament every year since 1999, 13 in a row.
Purdue turned the tables from the match just over a week ago as it took the doubles point. Rabot and Mara Schmidt were dominant at the top spot as they took out the No. 72 doubles team in the nation of Linda Abu Mushrefova and Veronica Corning, 8-3. The Purdue freshmen clinched it with a win at No. 2. Lynda Xepoleas and Daniela Vidal outlasted Nida Hamilton and Brittany Wowchuk 9-7.
In singles, Gisella Pere wasted no time giving the Boilermakers a 2-1 lead. The junior put a 6-1, 6-2 thrashing on Hamilton. The Wildcats got on the board next with a win at No. 5. Mushrefova beat Imogen Golder, 6-4, 6-3.
Schmidt got the Boilermakers within a point of victory with an upset win over the nation's No. 66 Wowchuk. The Purdue sophomore won in straight sets, 6-3, 6-3. Corning then won at No. 4 over Vidal, 6-2, 7-6, to make the score 3-2. At that time, Rabot was up a set and 5-2 in the second, just a point away from victory. However, Turvy battled back to win three straight games and tie the set at five. Rabot was able to gather herself and win the next to game to continue her hot streak. The senior knocked off her fourth ranked opponent in the last five matches, including Turvy twice, to give Purdue the win. Rabot won, 6-3, 7-5, to advance Purdue to the Big Ten Championship match.
The Boilermakers beat Northwestern for the third time in history and the first time since 1998.
Purdue now awaits the winner of the Michigan and Illinois match. The Boilermakers will play on Sunday at noon at Ohio State. A GameDay Central page can be found here. Live results are also there as well as on PurdueSports.com.