UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The Purdue women's tennis team picked up its first win of the season with a 4-3 road decision at Penn State on Sunday afternoon, dealing the Nittany Lions their first loss of the year. The Boilermakers claimed the opening doubles point and clinched the match by taking three of the first four singles matches to finish.
The Boilermakers set an early tone with all three doubles matches reaching their conclusion. Nathalia Wolf Gasparin and Zala Dovnik put Purdue ahead in the opening frame with an dominant 6-2 win over Samantha Smith and Karly Friedland.
Following a Penn State 7-5 win at No. 3, Ena Babic and Csilla Fodor gave the visitors a 1-0 lead in the match by outlasting Gabby O'Gorman and Alexandra Nielsen in a 7-5 decision.
The Nittany Lions pulled a point back at the start of singles with a straight-set win at No. 3. Fodor then threw the Boilermakers back ahead FOR GOOD with a decisive 6-3, 6-3 win over Frederikke Svarre at No. 2. Babic made it 3-1 for the match by downing O'Gorman 6-4, 6-2 at the top of the lineup.
Zala Dovnik wen the distance at No. 4 to deliver Purdue's first win of the year. The Slovenia international rolled in a third set to defeat Friedland 6-4, 5-7, 6-2.
After Purdue clinched the match, Penn State cut the final deficit with wins at No. 6 and 5.
The Boilermakers will make their home debut at the Schwartz Tennis Center next wee with a pair of matches against Michigan State on Saturday and Michigan on Sunday. There will be no family, friends or fan admittance at the Schwartz Tennis Center during the 2021 season. All matches will be streamed through PurdueSports.com.
PURDUE 1-1, 1-1) – 4, PENN STATE (2-1, 2-1) – 3
SINGLES
1. Ena Babic (PUR) def. Gabby O'Gorman (PSU) – 6-4, 6-2
2. Csilla Fodor (PUR) def. Frederikke Svarre (PSU) – 6-3, 6-3
3. Sofiya Chekhlystova (PSU) def. Seira Shimizu (PUR) – 6-2, 6-0
4. Zala Dovnik (PUR) def. Karly Friedland (PSU) – 6-4, 5-7, 6-2
5. Samantha Smith (PSU) def. Rut Galindo (PUR) – 6-4,
6. Alexandra Nielsen (PSU) def. Zeynep Naz Ozturk (PUR) – 7-5, 6-0
DOUBLES
1. Ena Babic/Csilla Fodor (PUR) def. Gabby O'Gorman/Alexandra Nielsen (PSU) – 7-5
2. Nathalia Wolf Gasparin/Zala Dovnik (PUR) def. Samantha Smith/Karly Friedland (PSU) – 6-2
3. Sofiya Chekhlystova/Frederikke Svarre (PSU) def. Seira Shimizu/Rut Galindo (PUR) – 7-5
Order of Finish
Doubles – 2,3,1
Singles – 3,2,1,4,6,5
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