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WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - After losing nine matches in a row, the women's tennis team may need to widen its view to find successes during the last month of play, especially with the strength of the Big Ten Conference this season. Despite the Boilermakers dropping another match Saturday - a 5-2 loss at home against Michigan State -- two freshmen provided the team with meaningful wins in singles.
Alex Sabe earned her second career victory on court one after taking hold of the lead position for Purdue in February; the Boilermaker defeated Aslina Chua 6-7 (5-7), 6-3, 1-0 (10-5) in the last match off against the Spartans. Caitlin Calkins also notched her first career singles win since enrolling in the fall. While she was forced to sit with an injury until January, her 6-2, 7-6 (8-6) victory over Lexi Baylis on Saturday demonstrated her ability to control a set and remain poised through a tiebreak.
The team's third true freshman, Rafaella Baquerizo, slipped on court two against Erin Faulkner, but has been a cornerstone of Purdue's offense this spring. The newcomer leads all Boilermakers with nine dual-match singles victories and seven combined dual-match doubles wins with three different partners.
Baquerizo and the women's tennis team will have another opportunity to improve Sunday against No. 10 Michigan at 11 a.m. ET.
As with all home matches this season, coverage includes both live scoring and live streaming of all indoor competition.