Northwestern
Purdue
#B1GCats Battle to 4-3 Win Over Purdue
2/15/2015 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
EVANSTON, Ill. – No. 23 Northwestern won a 4-3 decision for the second straight year in yet another close match between the Wildcats and 33rd-ranked Purdue.
NU used a tightly contested doubles point and wins by Alex Chatt, Alicia Barnett and Lok Sze Leung to secure a scheduled non-conference match against the Boilermakers.
"Everybody did a great job today of battling and bringing the energy and focus," Assistant coach Rob Gurden said. "From start to finish, it was great."
Chatt continued her remarkable start to the 2015 season with another straight set win, this time over Andjela Djokovic at No. 4, 6-3, 6-2. The Northwestern freshman has won all 10 sets she has played to begin her Wildcat career.
"Alex has basically overwhelmed every opponent she has had. When it gets tight she believes in herself," Gurden said. "She plays to win."
Barnett won her second straight match on Sunday, knocking off No. 105 Daniela Vidal in straight sets, 6-1, 6-4. After three tough losses to begin the year, Barnett is playing is really good tennis right now.
Northwestern clinched the match with Leung's effort in the third singles spot. The Wildcat senior won a 6-4 decision in the first set, but the second was a back and forth affair that saw neither player able to pull away. The set went to a tiebreak, where Leung gained the upper hand on the way to a 7-5 win.
The Boilermakers struck first in doubles play when their 24th-ranked tandem of Daniela Vidal and Tess Bernard-Feigenbaum took down the NU duo of Barnett and Brooke Rischbieth, 8-6. The 'Cats battled back with an 8-5 decision at No. 2 with Erin Larner and Jillian Rooney beating Lynda Xepoleas and Krisztina Kapitany.
With doubles tied at a match apiece, the winner at No. 3 would give their team the early advantage in the dual. Naturally, play went down to the wire. Chatt and Leung were up against Andjela Djokovic and Nicole Robinson and the match was close throughout. The teams ended up tied at seven and a tiebreak ensued. The duos traded points back and forth in the tiebreak as well until, eventually, Chatt and Leung pulled away for the 8-7 (6) win, giving the Wildcats the first team point.
Northwestern moved to 44-2 all-time against Purdue with the win Sunday.
The 'Cats travel to Nashville, Tenn. on Saturday, Feb. 21 to take on No. 11 Vanderbilt in their next match. Action is scheduled to begin at 12 p.m. CT.
Results
Singles
No. 1 – Alicia Barnett (NU) def. #105 Daniela Vidal (PUR), 6-1, 6-4
No. 2 – Tess Bernard-Feigenbaum (PUR) def. Erin Larner (NU), 7-6 (5), 2-6, 6-3
No. 3 – Lok Sze Leung (NU) def. Deborah Suarez (PUR), 6-4, 7-6 (5)
No. 4 – Alex Chatt (NU) def. Andjela Djokovic (PUR), 6-3, 6-2
No. 5 – Lynda Xepoleas (PUR) def. Jillian Rooney (NU), 2-6, 6-2, 6-0
No. 6 – Krisztina Kapitany (PUR) def. Brooke Rischbieth (NU), 0-6, 6-4, 7-6 (7)
Order of Finish: 4, 5, 1, 2, 3*, 6
Doubles
No. 1 – Vidal/Bernard-Feigenbaum (PUR) def. Barnett/Rischbieth (NU), 8-6
No. 2 – Larner/Rooney (NU) def. Xepoleas/Kapitany (PUR), 8-5
No. 3 – Chatt/Leung (NU) def. Djokovic/Robinson (PUR), 8-7 (6)
Order of Finish: 1, 2, 3*
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