Purdue women’s tennis continued its strong homestand Friday afternoon at Schwartz Tennis Center, defeating Xavier 5-2 in its non-conference finale. The Boilermakers move to 4-4 on the season, including an impressive 4-1 mark at home, while the Musketeers fall to 3-6.
Unlike its sweep of Ball State earlier in the week, Purdue had to respond after dropping the doubles point. Xavier claimed courts one and three by identical 6-4 scores, spoiling wins from the sophomore duo of Ece Gencer and Ida Clement, who secured a 6-4 victory at No. 2 doubles position.
From there, the Boilermakers flipped the script in singles.
No. 117 Gencer set the tone at the top of the lineup, dispatching senior Abby Nugent 6-2, 6-4 to remain undefeated this spring. The win extends Gencer’s streak to eight straight matches and improves her record to 8-0 on the year, continuing one of the most consistent starts in the conference.
Clement followed with a composed 6-4, 6-1 performance at No. 2 singles, earning her second consecutive victory and improving to 3-2 this season. Graduate student Kayal Gownder added a steady 6-4, 6-4 win at the No. 4 position, giving Purdue firm control of the dual.
Purdue women’s tennis team huddles together before it’s game against IU. Purdue won 4-2 against IU on Feb. 23.
Joaquin Guerrero | Staff Photographer
The most competitive battles came on the lower courts, where Purdue’s resilience once again showed.
Sophomore Kathryn Wilson opened with a dominant 7-6(1) tiebreak in the first set before dropping the second 2-6, but regrouped convincingly with a 6-1 third-set win to secure another point for the Boilermakers. Freshman Emmi Kolyszko delivered one of her strongest performances of the season, capturing her second collegiate victory with a 6-2, 2-6, 6-3 showing, punctuated by dominant stretches in both of her set wins.
Xavier’s lone singles point came in a tightly contested three-set match, as senior Fatima Gutierrez fell 6-7(5), 6-4, 10-4 in a super tiebreak.
After surrendering the early doubles advantage, Purdue’s command across five singles courts underscored its depth and composure. With non-conference play now complete, the Boilermakers turn their attention to Big Ten action, returning at 11 a.m. on Saturday as they travel to Bloomington to face Indiana.
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