Feb. 22, 2006
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - The 49th-ranked Illinois women's tennis team got a big win from sophomore Macall Harkins over nationally ranked Hala Sufi, but it wasn't enough as the team lost 6-1 in their conference opener against Purdue at the Lafayette Sports Center on Wednesday afternoon. The 32nd-ranked Boilermakers improve to 5-2, 1-0 in the Big Ten, while the Illini drop to 4-5 and 0-1 in the conference.
"Purdue played really well," Coach Sujay Lama said. "They played with a lot of confidence coming off a big win against Kentucky and put us on our heels. But we need to find a way to start better in doubles - we lose the point and have to play catch up. We're never able to get any momentum. We're going to continue to stay positive, keep hammering the basics and we'll be ready for Notre Dame."
Harkins came up big with her second straight win over an ITA top 100 opponent at the number one singles position. After splitting the first two matches and the home team already permanently ahead, the contest went into a deciding super tiebreaker. The six-foot lefty took over to triumph over 2005 All-Big Ten selection and No. 100 Sufi with a 1-0(10-3) in the final set.
"Macall is really starting to become a leader and her presence is felt on the court," Lama said. "All her hard work is paying off."
Junior Emily Wang and Harkins were looking for their second straight upset in doubles but the 40th-ranked pair of Sufi and Mallory Voelker were well prepared, taking the first match 8-5. Brittany Minna and Stephanie Wooten clinched the doubles point with an 8-4 win over sophomore Momei Qu and freshman Shivani Davé at No. 3.
Voelker built Purdue's lead to 2-0 with a straight set defeat of Wang on court four, while Wooten followed with her win over Davé to build the Boilermaker lead to 3-0. Qu dropped her first set 6-2 but battled back in the second to tie it up 5-5. Her effort wasn't enough as Randi Schuler notched a 7-5 clinching victory on the second court.
The Fighting Illini are back on the road March 5 when they take on Notre Dame at 11 a.m.
#32 Purdue 6, #49 Illinois 1
Feb 22, 2006 at Lafayette, Ind.
Singles competition:
1. Macall Harkins (ILL) def. #100 Hala Sufi (PUR) 6-7, 6-3, 1-0(3)
2. Randi Schuler (PUR) def. Momei Qu (ILL) 6-2, 7-5
3. Brooke Beier (PUR) def. Brianna Knue (ILL) 6-2, 6-4
4. Mallory Voelker (PUR) def. Emily Wang (ILL) 6-0, 6-0
5. Stephanie Wooten (PUR) def. Shivani Davé (ILL) 6-1, 6-1
6. Anna Dzeva (PUR) def. Alejandra Meza Cuadra (ILL) 6-3, 3-6, 11-9
Doubles competition:
1. #40 Hala Sufi/Mallory Voelker (PUR) def. Emily Wang/Macall Harkins (ILL) 8-5
2. Brooke Beier/Randi Schuler (PUR) def. Brianna Knue/Alejandra Meza Cuadra (ILL) 8-3
3. Brittany Minna/Stephanie Wooten (PUR) def. Momei Qu/Shivani Davé (ILL) 8-4
Match Notes:
Illinois 4-5; National ranking #49
Purdue 5-2; National ranking #32
Order of finish: Doubles (1,3,2); Singles (4,5,2,3,1,6)
