University of Minnesota Athletics
#56 Minnesota Falls to #50 Purdue, 4-3
4/21/2007 12:00:00 AM | Tennis
The University of Minnesota women's tennis team (10-10, 3-6 Big Ten) lost an extremely close match to Purdue this afternoon in Minneapolis. This was the eighth straight conference match for the Gophers who will finish their regular and conference season tomorrow at home against Illinois.
The Gophers came out strong in doubles play with Karina Chiarelli and Tijana Koprivica earning a quick victory on No. 3. Minnesota's Ashley Schellhas and Lindsay Risebrough sealed the doubles point by beating Purdue's Brooke Beier and Mallory Voelker, who are ranked No. 73 in the ITA rankings, on doubles No. 1. Ida Malmberg and Danielle Mousseau retired to injury on No. 2 after the singles point was already locked.
Danielle Mousseau carried the momentum to singles for Minnesota and won a quick match on No. 6 to give the Gophers a 2-0 lead. Despite the Maroon-and-Gold's strong start, Purdue was able to take the next three matches on Nos. 1, 2 and 3. Lindsay Risebrough won next on No. 4 to tie the match at three with Karina Chiarelli's match remaining on No. 5. After losing the first set, Chiarelli came back to take the second, but eventually fell to Purdue's Anna Dzeva in three sets.
Minnesota head coach Tyler Thomson is leaving it up to his team to decide how they want to finish. "The team who wanted it more won today," he said. "We need to show more heart and spirit if we want to have a successful end to this season."
The Gophers final regular season match will begin tomorrow at Baseline at 11 a.m. against Illinois. The Big Ten Championships will begin next week on the 26th and run through the 29th.
#56 Minnesota vs. #50 Purdue
April 21, 2007
Baseline Tennis Center
MInneapolis, Minn.
Singles
1. #104 Mallory Voelker (Pur) def. #73 Ashley Schellhas (MN), 6-1, 6-3
2. Brooke Beier (Pur) def. Tijana Koprivica (MN), 6-0, 6-4
3. Neela Vaez (Pur) def. Ida Malmberg (MN), 6-3, 6-1
4. Lindsay Risebrough (MN) def. Cigdem Duru (Pur), 7-5, 6-2
5. Anna Dzeva (Pur) def. Karina Chiarelli (MN), 6-4, 2-6, 6-3
6. Danielle Mousseau (MN) def. Alejandra Boeker (Pur), 6-0, 6-2
Order of finish: 6, 3, 1, 2, 4, 5
Doubles
1. Risebrough/Schellhas (MN) def. #59 Beier/Voelker (Pur), 8-6
2. Vaez/Duru (Pur) def. Malmberg/Mousseau (MN), 5-4 (retired)
3. Chiarelli/Koprivica (MN) def. Dzeva/Boeker (Pur), 8-5
Order of finish: 3, 1, 2
#50 Purdue def. #56 Minnesota, 4-3
Players Mentioned
