May 9, 2014
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - The Purdue women's tennis team's season came to a close with a 4-0 loss to No. 19 Georgia Tech Friday in the first round of the NCAA Championships. Rain forced the match to the indoor courts of the Currey Tennis Center on the campus of Vanderbilt. The 39th-ranked Boilermakers' closed out their 2014 campaign with a record of 12-11 while playing in their third straight NCAA tournament. The Yellow Jackets (14-9) advanced to the second round Saturday against No. 10 Vanderbilt, who defeated Murray State, 4-0.
"I thought it was a good, overall effort," head women's tennis coach Laura Glitz said. "Our team competed hard and we came up short. We could have played better; we let the doubles point slip and we had our chances in singles. Georgia Tech is a good team and when you play a team like that, you can't let the opportunities slip.
"Obviously making the tournament is a good accomplishment, especially for this team with all that they've had to endure; it wasn't a given that we'd make it," Glitz said. "One of the things we wanted to do was getting here and take it a step further. We were in a position to do that, but we didn't capitalize on our opportunities."
At No. 1 doubles, it was the sixth-ranked Georgia Tech duo that struck first in the best of three battle. Kendal Woodard and Megan Kurey defeated Purdue's 72nd-ranked pair of Mara Schmidt and Andjela Djokovic, 8-5. It was just the second time the two had played together, to which they split, 1-1.
The scales were evened courtesy of Boilermakers Nicole Robinson and Claudia Escribens in the No. 3 spot. The freshman/sophomore team came from behind to beat Rasheeda McAdoo and Alexa Anton-Ohlmeyer, 8-6. It was their eighth win together as they finished with an 8-6 mark together playing side by side.
With the doubles point to be decided at No. 2, Natasha Prokhevska and Muriel Wacker secured it for the Yellow Jackets by thwarting Krisztina Kapitany and Natalia Davila's attempt to fight back, winning 8-4. Kapitany and Davila finish the season with a 4-4 mark.
Georgia Tech won in straight sets at Nos. 5 and 3 before clinching the dual at No. 4. Wacker first dealt Djokovic a 6-3, 6-1 setback at No. 5. The rookie wrapped up her first season with the Boilermakers with a 15-7 record and her 15 wins were a team best.
Purdue's Robinson (10-16) was unable to gain the upper hand against McAdoo, and suffered a 6-3, 6-3 loss. The match came to an end as Kapitany (13-11) was dealt a pair of 7-5 sets at No. 4.
Playing at Nos. 1 and 2, respectively, Schmidt and Tess Bernard-Feighenbaum had each taken the first set from their Yellow Jacket opponents, and with only five indoor courts available, Claudia Escribens was deadlocked at 4-4 with Anton-Ohlmeyer, but the three matches were abandoned once the match was clinched at No. 4.
"Thanks to our tough schedule this year, the team was ready to go today," Glitz said. "I was actually concerned that our schedule this season was too tough, but in the end it helped us because a team like Georgia Tech is what we played all year. I don't think our younger players are intimidated by these big matches, there are just time when we are stepping up when we have the opportunity. In the end, I am pleased with how everything went and how our season played out."
The Boilermakers are a combined 2-7 in seven combined trips to the NCAA Championships, qualifying in 1996, 1998, 2003, 2006, 2012, 2013 and 2014.
No. 19 Georgia Tech 4, No. 39 Purdue 0 | Box Score
Doubles
1: No. 6 Kendal Woodard/Megan Kurey (Georgia Tech) def. No. 72 Mara Schmidt/Andjela Djokovic (Purdue), 8-5
2: Natasha Prokhevska/Muriel Wacker (Georgia Tech) def. Krisztina Kapitany/Nataila Davila (Purdue), 8-4
3: Nicole Robinson/Claudia Escribens (Purdue) def. Rasheeda McAdoo/Alexa Anton-Ohlmeyer (Georgia Tech), 8-6
Singles
1: Mara Schmidt (Purdue) vs. Kendal Woodard (Georgia Tech), 6-4, 5-6 DNF
2: Tess Bernard-Feigenbaum (Purdue) vs. Megan Kurey (Georgia Tech), 6-3, 4-6, 2-1 DNF
3: Rasheeda McAdoo (Georgia Tech) def. Nicole Robinson (Purdue), 6-3, 6-3
4: Natasha Prokhevska (Georgia Tech) def. Krisztina Kapitany (Purdue), 7-5, 7-5
5: Muriel Wacker (Georgia Tech) def. Andjela Djokovic (Purdue), 6-3, 6-1
6: Claudia Escribens (Purdue) vs. Alexa Anton-Ohlmeyer (Georgia Tech), 4-4 DNF