The Wisconsin women’s tennis team put up a fight against 47th-ranked Purdue, but it finished the day with a close, 4-3, loss. Katya Mirnova and Angela Chupa stood out for the Badgers throughout the day working together in doubles play as well as earning Wisconsin’s two singles wins.
Wisconsin (6-13, 1-5) was able to get an early lead on the day despite windy conditions on the outdoor courts by winning the doubles point. Chupa and Mirnova earned the Badgers’ first win of the day in the No. 2 spot with an 8-3 victory over Anna Dushkina and Gisella Pere. Wisconsin was able to clinch the doubles point with its second win by the duo of Jessica Seyferth and Lauren Gruber in the No. 3 spot.
Co-captain Mirnova kept on pace after her early doubles win, finishing first in singles play with a 6-1, 6-1 win over Dushkina. The win extended the Badgers’ lead to 2-0.
A loss in the No. 6 spot tightened the score, 2-1, as Pere was able to defeat UW’s Lauren Gruber, 6-1, 6-0. Chupa answered back for the Badgers though, taking out Purdue’s Imogen Golder in a 6-1, 6-0 win in the No. 5 spot.
The Boilermakers didn’t give up despite a 3-1 deficit, earning the next two wins in the Nos. 1 and 2 slots to tie the match at three.
The match then went down to the No. 3 spot where Seyferth challenged PU’s Bhavani Tirumurti. In dramatic fashion, the match was the only one of the day to go to a third set. Tirumurti took the first set in a close battle winning 7-6 (2), but Seyferth came back strong to earn a 6-3 win in the second set. Despite a back-and-forth fight, Tirumurti outlasted Seyferth in a 7-6 (3), third set win.
The Badgers will return home next weekend to look for their second conference win of the season hosting Minnesota on Friday, April 16, and Iowa on Sunday, April 18.
Julie McKay, UW Athletic Communications
Tennis Match Results
Wisconsin vs Purdue
April 10, 2010 at West Lafayette, Ind.
(Schwartz Tennis Center)
#47 Purdue 4, Wisconsin 3
Singles competition
1. Michelle Sammons (PUR) def. Hannah Berner (WIS) 6-0, 6-3
2. #110 Jennifer Rabot (PUR) def. Alaina Trgovich (WIS) 6-0, 6-2
3. Bhavani Tirumurti (PUR) def. Jessica Seyferth (WIS) 7-6 (7-2), 3-6, 7-6 (7-3)
4. Katya Mirnova (WIS) def. Anna Dushkina (PUR) 6-1, 6-1
5. Angela Chupa (WIS) def. Imogen Golder (PUR) 6-1, 6-0
6. Gisella Pere (PUR) def. Lauren Gruber (WIS) 6-1, 6-0
Doubles competition
1. Michelle Sammons/Jennifer Rabot (PUR) def. Hannah Berner/Alaina Trgovich (WIS) 8-5
2. Angela Chupa/Katya Mirnova (WIS) def. Anna Dushkina/Gisella Pere (PUR) 8-3
3. Jessica Seyferth/Lauren Gruber (WIS) def. Bhavani Tirumurti/Imogen Golder (PUR) 8-6
Match Notes:
Wisconsin 6-13, 1-5
Purdue 14-3, 3-3; National ranking #47
Order of finish: Doubles (2,3,1); Singles (4,6,5,1,2,3)
