Michigan
Purdue
Michigan Drops Big Ten Road Contest to Boilermakers
4/9/2005 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. C The No. 38 University of Michigan womens tennis team had its two-match winning streak snapped Saturday afternoon (April 9), losing 6-1 to No. 58 Purdue at the Lafayette Sports Center. The Wolverines (8-9, 3-3 Big Ten) dropped a tight doubles point and surrendered three consecutive singles matches in straight sets to allow the Boilermakers (6-10, 3-2 Big Ten) to earn the victory.
After Purdue posted a quick 8-1 win at No. 2 doubles, Michigans 21st-ranked tandem of senior Michelle DaCosta (Huber Heights, Ohio/Wayne HS) and sophomore Kara Delicata (LaSalle, Ontario/Sandwich Secondary) evened the match with an easy 8-2 triumph over Lara Bugarello and Shawna Zuccarini at No. 1. In the decisive match at No. 3, Alyssa Rodriguez and Hala Sufi slipped by junior Debra Streifler (Highland Park, Ill./Highland Park HS) and sophomore Elizabeth Exon (Irvine, Calif./Woodridge HS) by a score of 8-6 to clinch the doubles point for the Boilermakers.
Purdue wrapped up the team victory with consecutive singles wins at Nos. 3, 4 and 1. The match was clinched by No. 99 Sufi, who upset No. 53 DaCosta 6-4, 6-3 at the top position. The Boilermakers kept on rolling, claiming victories on two of the three remaining courts. Junior Nina Yaftali (Westlake Village, Calif./Westlake HS) saw her five-match winning streak come to an end, falling in a super-tiebreaker to Amy Walgenbach at No. 6, 6-3, 4-6, 1-0(8). It was Yafatlis first conference defeat this season (5-1).
Michigans lone bright spot in singles came at the No. 2 slot, as Exon earned a 6-3, 6-4 victory over Stephanie Wooten for the Wolverines' only point of the match. Exon has won seven of her last nine matches to improve to 15-13 overall and 8-9 against dual match opponents.
The Wolverines return to action tomorrow (Sunday, April 10) when they travel to Champaign, Ill., to face Illinois. The match is scheduled for an. 11 a.m. CDT start at the Atkins Tennis Center.
Following are match-by-match results:
Singles
No. 1 -- #99 Hala Sufi (PUR) d. #53 Michelle DaCosta, 6-3, 6-4
No. 2 -- Elizabeth Exon (U-M) d. Stephanie Wooten, 6-3, 6-4
No. 3 -- Shawna Zuccarini (PUR) d. Kara Delicata, 6-2, 6-4
No. 4 -- Brooke Beier (PUR) d. Leanne Rutherford, 6-2, 6-3
No. 5 -- Alyssa Rodriguez (PUR) d. Debra Streifler, 4-6, 7-6, 6-3
No. 6 -- Amy Walgenbach (PUR) d. Nina Yaftali, 6-3, 4-6, 1-0(8)
Doubles
No. 1 -- #21 DaCosta/Delicata (U-M) d. Lara Bugarello/Zuccarini, 8-2
No. 2 -- Beier/Wooten (PUR) d. Allie Shafner/Rutherford, 8-1
No. 3 -- Rodriguez/Sufi (PUR) d. Exon/Streifler, 8-6
Order of Completion: Doubles 2-1-3, Singles 3-4-1-6-2-5
Contact: Marc Ressler (734) 763-4423
Players Mentioned
