Feb. 5, 2016
OXFORD, Miss. -- The Purdue women's tennis team suffered its second loss in as many weeks to an SEC opponent, falling to No. 25 Ole Miss (4-0). The Boilermakers were unable to overcome the Rebels' strength at the top of the singles lineup, resulting in a 5-2 loss at the Palmer/Salloum Tennis Center on Friday. With the setback, Purdue was dealt its third straight loss, moving to 5-4 on the season.
The Boilermakers jumped out to a 1-0 lead thanks to victories coming from the No. 2 and 3 doubles positions. Playing together for the first time this spring, Purdue's tandem of Krisztina Kapitany and Marta Ruedas-Burgos struck first with a 6-3 victory over Natalie Suk and Allie Sanford in the No. 2 spot.
The doubles point was clinched when Boilermakers Claudia Escribens and Natalia Davila bested Zalina Khairudinova and Tea Jandric of Ole Miss 7-5. The senior/junior duo pushed their record at No. 3 to 6-2.
In singles action, the Rebels' front three of No. 84 Arianne Hartono, Natalie Suk and No. 55 Mai El Kamash proved to be too much as they took the first three matches in straight sets.
Marija Milutinovic clinched the dual for Ole Miss with matching sets of 6-4 vs. Ruedas-Burgos at the No. 6 position.
Escribens provided Purdue's lone singles point of the match when she rallied to defeat Khairudinova 3-6, 7-6, 1-0 (4). The senior is now 6-1 on the season at the No. 5 spot.
The Boilermakers will travel to Memphis, Tennessee, and return to action Sunday at 9 a.m. ET to square off against the Tigers.