May 11, 2012
BERKELEY, Calif. - The No. 22 Purdue women's tennis team had its historic season come to a close on Friday as the Boilermakers fell in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, 4-0, to No. 41 Pepperdine.
Purdue (18-7) had a solid start to doubles as it took early leads on each of the three courts. However, the Waves would come back on two of those. Imogen Golder and Gisella Pere gave the Boilermakers an early edge as the No. 3 pair won, 8-4, over Ale Granillo and Megan Moore. Pepperdine leveled the doubles score at one with a win at the top spot. The No. 32 pair of Lorraine Guillermo and Khunpak Issara knocked of Jennifer Rabot and Mara Schmidt, 8-4. The match came down to court No. 2 and the Boilermaker freshmen. Lynda Xepoleas and Daniela Vidal led, 8-7, but were unable to close out. Arianna Colffer and Ali Walters came back to tie the score at eight and force a tiebreak. There, the Wave pair won, 7-5, to give the point to Pepperdine.
Pepperdine (16-8) carried the momentum into singles. No. 62 Issara was impressive in the top spot as she knocked off Rabot, 6-1, 6-3. Guillermo was next as she was victorious at No. 3. Despite trailing 3-0 in the first set to Schmidt, Guillermo rallied back to win, 6-4, 6-0. The Waves clinched the win with a win at No. 2. No. 105 Granillo knocked off Xepoleas, 6-4, 6-2, to end the match.
The Boilermakers were in good position on the remaining three courts. Vidal was in a first set tiebreaker with Colffer at No. 4 while Golder was leading 6-4, 2-1 at No. 5 over Walters. Pere also led, 6-3, 2-2, over Megan Moore when the match was decided.
Purdue is now 0-4 all-time against Pepperdine.
Despite the loss, the Boilermakers wrap up a season full of records. Seniors Rabot, Anna Dushkina, and Kay Kay Magi exit as the winningest class in program history. This year's team also earned the highest rankings in school history peaking at No. 22, the team's current rank. Purdue also won the school's first Big Ten Tournament Championship while becoming the first conference team to win four days in a row for the title. During that stretch the team knocked off three top-20 opponents, a feat the program had never done even once before, including the highest ranked team win with a victory over No. 11 Northwestern. The team also made the school's fifth ever NCAA Tournament appearance.
No. 41 Pepperdine 4, No. 22 Purdue 0
2012 NCAA Division I Women's Tennis Championships | First Round
Hellman Tennis Complex | Berkeley, Calif.
Friday, May 11, 2012 - 10 a.m. PT
Records: Purdue (18-7), Pepperdine (16-8)
Doubles
1. No. 32 Guillermo/Issara (PEP) def. Rabot/Schmidt (PUR); 8-4
2. Colffer/Walters (PEP) def. Vidal/Xepoleas (PUR); 9-8(5)
3. Golder/Pere (PUR) def. Granillo/Moore (PEP); 8-4
Order of finish: 3, 1, 2* (Pepperdine wins doubles point)
Singles
1. No. 62 Khunpak Issara (PEP) def. No. 83 Jenny Rabot (PUR); 6-1, 6-3
2. No. 105 Ale Granillo (PEP) def. Lynda Xepoleas (PUR); 6-4, 6-2
3. Lorraine Guillermo (PEP) def. Mara Schmidt (PUR); 6-4, 6-0
4. Daniela Vidal (PUR) vs. Arianna Colffer (PEP); DNF
5. Imogen Golder (PUR) vs. Ali Walters (PEP); DNF
6. Gisella Pere (PUR) vs. Megan Moore (PEP); DNF
Order of finish: 1, 3, 2*