WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - In her first singles appearance of the spring season, Nicole Robinson clinched a 4-3 win for the 32nd-ranked Purdue women's tennis team over No. 38 Arkansas Friday on the Basham Tennis Courts at the Schwartz Tennis Center. It was the first of two weekend matches for the Boilermakers, who improved to 3-2, 0-0 B1G. They will return to the Basham Courts against No. 54 Memphis Sunday at 12 p.m. ET. Arkansas and Memphis will match up on Saturday at 12 p.m.
"I am very proud of our team's effort today," head women's tennis coach Laura Glitz said. "We had a few girls missing from the lineup, so I had to rework the singles and doubles lineup yesterday, but the team responded extremely well. They competed hard and found a way to win and that's all you can ask for as a coach."
Robinson, who hasn't played a singles match since early November, was inserted into the lineup at No. 5 against Arkansas' Oleksandra Shkorupieva. The sophomore fell short in the first set, 6-2, but fought through the next two sets, 7-5 and 6-2, to earn the victory for the Boilermakers.
Reigning B1G Athlete of the Week, Tess Bernard-Feigenbaum, and Lynda Xepoleas set the stage for Robinson's match-clincher.
Bernard-Feigenbaum had a come-from-behind victory in the first set to outscore her opponent Shannon Hudson in straight sets, 6-2, 6-2. In the No. 2 spot, the junior moved to 4-1 and has the best singles record on the team at 7-1.
Xepoleas was forced to take her match against Razorback Nastassia Rubel at No. 4 into three sets. After winning the first set, 6-1, the Purdue senior fell short in the second, 6-3. In the final battle the Huntington Beach, Calif., native, pulled through, 6-3. Xepoleas pushed her record to 5-1 while playing at No. 4 for the first time this season.
In doubles, Natalia Davila and Xepoleas' 6-0 shutout of Makenzie Craft and Mia Jurasic tilted the doubles battle Purdue's way early. It was the first time the sophomore and senior had played side-by-side while serving as the No. 2 team.
The 24th-ranked tandem of Daniela Vidal and Bernard-Feigenbaum (8-2) were credited with securing the point for the Boilermakers. The duo rallied for a 6-4 win over Arkansas' No. 1 team of Yuliya Lysa and Shannon Hudson. The Old Gold & Black took in the doubles point for the second time this season and they are 2-0 when doing so.
No. 32 PURDUE 4, No. 38 ARKANSAS 3
Doubles
1: No. 24 Tess Bernard-Feigenbaum/Daniela Vidal (Purdue) def. Yuliya Lysa/Shannon Hudson (Arkansas), 6-4
2: Lynda Xepoleas/Natalia Davila (Purdue) def. Makenzie Craft/Mia Jurasic (Arkansas), 6-0
3: Nicole Robinson/Claudia Escribens (Purdue) vs. Lavia Araujo/Oleksandra Shkorupieva (Arkansas), DNF
Order of finish: 2, 1
Singles
1: Yuliya Lysa (Arkansas) def. No. 105 Daniela Vidal (Purdue), 6-1, 6-4
2: Tess Bernard-Feigenbaum (Purdue) def. Shannon Hudson (Arkansas), 6-2, 6-2
3: Makenzie Craft (Arkansas) def. Deborah Suarez (Purdue), 6-3, 6-2
4: Lynda Xepoleas (Purdue) def. Nastassia Rubel (Arkansas), 6-1, 3-6, 6-3
5: Nicole Robinson (Purdue) def. Oleksandra Shkorupieva (Arkansas), 2-6, 7-5, 6-2
6: Mia Jurasic (Arkansas) def. Claudia Escribens (Purdue), 7-5, 4-6, 6-4
Order of finish: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6