April 26, 2013
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - The No. 28 Purdue women's tennis team opened the 2013 Big Ten Tournament with a 4-1 win over No. 28 Illinois on Friday. The Boilermakers beat the Fighting Illini for the second time this week.
Purdue (17-4) took the doubles point to start the match against Illinois, something it didn't do when the teams met Sunday. The Boilermakers first won at No. 2 as Lynda Xepoleas and Daniela Vidal knocked of Misia Kedzierski and Allison Falkin, 8-5. Kedzierski and Falkin had beaten the Purdue sophomores 8-2 in the first meeting. The Boilermakers then clinched the point with an 8-4 win at No. 3. Gisella Pere and Tess Bernard-Feigenbaum defeated Audrey O'Connor and Breanne Smutko.
The Boilermakers built on the lead in singles. Pere dominated Julia Jamieson at No. 6, 6-2, 6-1, to give Purdue a 2-0 lead. Vidal then brought the team within a point of victory when she won at No. 3. She defeated Rachael White, 6-3, 6-4.
Illinois (14-11) got on the board with a win at No. 4. Smutko defeated Bernard-Feigenbaum, 7-5, 6-1. Xepoleas clinched the win for the Boilermakers. The sophomore knocked off the No. 111 singles player in the country, Melissa Kopinski, 7-5, 6-0, at No. 2. Krisztina Kapitany was ahead 6-1, 5-6 at No. 5 when the match was halted.
The Boilermakers advance to the semifinals where they will have a rematch of the 2012 Big Ten Tournament Championship match against Michigan. The Wolverines are the No. 1 overall seed in the tournament and knocked off the No. 8 seed Iowa, 4-2, on Friday. Michigan is currently No. 6 in the country and beat the Boilermakers 6-1 earlier this season. A recap of that match can be found here.
Saturday's match is scheduled for 10 a.m. ET with the winner advancing to the championship match. Live results can be found here.
Tennis Match Results
Illinois vs. Purdue
April 26, 2013 at Bloomington, Ind.
(IU Varsity Tennis Courts)
#28 Purdue 4, #43 Illinois 1
Singles competition
1. Mara Schmidt (PUR) vs. #117 Allison Falkin (ILL) unfinished
2. Lynda Xepoleas (PUR) def. #111 Melissa Kopinski (ILL) 7-5, 6-0
3. Daniela Vidal (PUR) def. Rachael White (ILL) 6-3, 6-4
4. Breanne Smutko (ILL) def. Tess Bernard-Feigenb (PUR) 7-5, 6-1
5. Krisztina Kapitany (PUR) vs. Misia Kedzierski (ILL) 6-1, 5-6, unfinished
6. Gisella Pere (PUR) def. Julia Jamieson (ILL) 6-2, 6-1
Doubles competition
1. Mara Schmidt/Krisztina Kapitany (PUR) vs. Rachael White/Melissa Kopinski (ILL) 6-7, unfinished
2. Lynda Xepoleas/Daniela Vidal (PUR) def. Misia Kedzierski/Allison Falkin (ILL) 8-5
3. Gisella Pere/Tess Bernard-Feigenbaum (PUR) def. Audrey O'Connor/Breanne Smutko (ILL) 8-4
Order of finish: Doubles (2,3); Singles (6,3,4,2)