Badgers come up empty in regular season finale

Sunday, April 23

Madison, WI

12PM

Wisconsin Badgers

Purdue

Photo by: David Stluka

Badgers come up empty in regular season finale

April 23, 2017 | Men's Tennis

Wisconsin falls to Purdue, 4-3, look to improve before Big Tens

MADISON, Wis. – The Badgers were hoping to close out the regular season play strong but were unable to topple the Boilermakers in their Sunday afternoon match at Nielsen Tennis Stadium. No. 30 Wisconsin (16-6, 7-4) fell to Purdue (18-11, 6-4), 4-3, to conclude regular season play.

"Our guys have been in these situations all season long," head coach Danny Westerman said. "Purdue bounced back from the doubles point and a quick singles loss nicely and that's credit to them. This will motivate us and we can be better than we were today. We'll learn, we'll get better."

Sunday's match also marked the final home match in the careers of senior John Zordani and redshirt junior Elliott Sprecher. The pair were honored in a celebration before the match.

The Badgers bounded out of doubles play with a quick win and struck a promising resolution for the rest of the match.

Junior Lamar Remy and freshman Chase Colton finished with a win, a much-deserved achievement for the Badger duo that has only five losses. Colton and Remy swiftly knocked off Purdue's Benjamin Ugarte and Renan Hanayama, 6-3. The pair finishes the regular season with a team-best 23-5 record.

Senior John Zordani, despite celebrating senior day, was unable to pick up a win at the No. 3 spot along with partner Osgar O'Hoisin. The pair finished dropped their match, 7-5, to a very good Purdue duo Gergely Madarsz and Athell Bennnett.

Juniors Chema Carranza and Josef Dodridge defeated Ricky Medinilla and Stephan Koenigsfest in a thriller at the No. 1 spot. The UW tandem battled back and forth with Purdue's pair before stifling the Big Ten foe in the tiebreak. Dodridge and Carranza won 7-6 (7-1), moving the two to 12-5 in the spring.

But the Badgers couldn't maintain the pace in the singles bracket.

After freshman Daniel Soyfer won at the No. 6 position over Purdue's Renan Hanayama, 6-2, 6-2, the Badgers dropped the next four matches and Purdue clinched the dual match.

However, captain Remy wouldn't go down without a fight at the No. 1 position. Remy earned the first set in a hard-fought manner, 7-6 (7-4) over Purdue's Madarasz. However, the Purdue ace battled back in the second to take a 6-3 win. In the third, tied at 6-6, Remy went up another level. The junior hammered ball after ball in the tiebreak and ultimately won, 7-6 (7-4).

Remy holds a 19-13 record while Soyfer boasts the second-best overall record on the team, 25-9.

"We've got a short week heading into the Big Ten tournament and we're going to use it as a rhythm and learning period. We have a great video staff here, we'll take a look at some matches and figure out how to be better."

The Badgers do in fact turn their attention to the postseason and the Big Ten tournament. Play will begin in West Lafayette, Indiana on Friday.

Singles – Sunday April 23
1. Lamar Remy (WIS) def. Gergely Madarasz (PUR) 7-6 (7-4), 3-6, 7-6 (7-4)
2. Ricky Medinilla (PUR) def. Josef Dodridge (WIS) 6-2, 6-4
3. Benjamin Ugarte (PUR) def. Chema Carranza (WIS) 3-6, 7-5, 6-4
4. Stephan Koenigsfest (PUR) def. Osgar O'Hoisin (WIS) 6-4, 6-4
5. Athell Bennett (PUR) def. Chase Colton (WIS) 7-5, 6-3
6. Daniel Soyfer (WIS) def. Renan Hanayama (PUR) 6-2, 6-2

Doubles
1. Josef Dodridge/Chema Carranza (WIS) def. Ricky Medinilla/Stephan Koenigsfest (PUR) 7-6 (7-1)
2. Lamar Remy/Chase Colton (WIS) def. Benjamin Ugarte/Renan Hanayama (PUR) 6-3
3. Gergely Madarasz/Athell Bennett (PUR) def. Osgar O'Hoisin/John Zordani (WIS) 7-5