March 30, 2014
MADISON, Wis. - Strong doubles play, combined with a balanced attack in singles, lifted the No. 46 Purdue women's tennis team over Wisconsin, 5-2, in Big Ten Conference action Sunday at the Nielsen Tennis Stadium. The Boilermakers have posted back-to-back wins to even their record at 7-7, while moving to 3-2 against Big Ten opponents. The Badger's mark slipped to 7-6, 2-3 Big Ten with consecutive weekend losses.
Nicole Robinson and Claudia Escribens starting things out by tilting the doubles battle Purdue's way, notching an 8-4 win over Becca Bailey and Sydney Rider for their second straight victory in the No. 3 position. The Badger tandem of Nova Patel and Anastasia Tripolskaya evened the slate with a tightly contested 8-7 defeat of Daniela Vidal and Tess Bernard-Feigenbaum, who were playing together for the first time this season.
Just as it did Friday at Minnesota, the doubles point rested with the outcome at No. 1. Boilermakers Mara Schmidt and Krisztina Kapitany took control of Lauren Chypyha and Lauren Burich to clinch the crucial point, winning 8-5. The senior/sophomore duo, who is ranked 70th nationally, pushed their record to 10-5 with the win.
Purdue has won the doubles point seven times this season and is 5-1 when winning the point. The combination of Vidal and Bernard-Feigenbaum was the 10th different pair the Boilermakers have sent out in doubles play.
As play shifted to singles, Purdue and Wisconsin exchanged blows before Schmidt secured the dual win for the Boilermakers. Playing in the No. 2 position, the senior from Bradenton, Fla., used a straight-set victory to get past Burich, 6-4, 6-2, earning the fourth point for the Old Gold & Black.
Chypyha got the Badgers on the board in the first singles match completed as Daniela Vidal was forced to retire in the second set. After making her season debut in the lineup at Minnesota, Escribens again answered the call. The sophomore from Calgary, Alberta, dismantled Bailey at No. 6, 6-1, 6-1, to give the Boilermakers a 2-1 edge.
Bernard-Feigenbaum pushed Purdue ahead 3-1 thanks to a 6-0, 6-4 outing against Tripolskaya. She improved to 10-5 with the win at No. 3. Patel gave Wisconsin a chance in the team battle, bringing the Badgers within one with her 6-2, 6-2 win over Robinson at the No. 4 spot. Schmidt's victory ensued and rookie Andjela Djokovic (9-3) closed out the Boilermakers' efforts with a grind out, 6-3, 6-7, 1-0, decision at No. 5 over Rider.
After nearly a month on the road, the Purdue women's tennis team will return to the Schwartz Tennis Center, hosting Big Ten foes Iowa at 12 p.m. ET on March 5 and Nebraska at 12 p.m., on March 6.
No. 46 Purdue 5, Wisconsin 2 | Box Score
Doubles
1: No. 70 Mara Schmidt/Krisztina Kapitany (Purdue) def. Lauren Chypyha/Lauren Burich (Wisconsin), 8-5
2: Nova Patel/Anastasia Tripolskaya (Wisconsin) def. Daniela Vidal/Tess Bernard-Feigenbaum (Purdue), 8-7
3: Nicole Robinson/Claudia Escribens (Purdue) def. Becca Bailey/Sydney Rider (Wisconsin), 8-4
Singles
1: Lauren Chypyha (Wisconsin) def. Daniela Vidal (Purdue), 6-1, 3-0 Ret.
2: Mara Schmidt (Purdue) def. Lauren Burich (Wisconsin), 6-4, 6-2
3: Tess Bernard-Feigenbaum (Purdue) def. Anastasia Tripolskaya (Wisconsin), 6-0, 6-4
4: Nova Patel (Wisconsin) def. Nicole Robinson (Purdue), 6-2, 6-2
5: Andjela Djokovic (Purdue) def. Sydney Rider (Wisconsin), 6-3, 6-7, 1-0
6: Claudia Escribens (Purdue) def. Becca Bailey (Wisconsin), 6-1, 6-1