IOWA CITY, Iowa –– The University of Iowa women’s tennis team improved to 5-1 in the Big Ten this season with a 6-1 win against Purdue on Sunday at the Hawkeye Recreation and Tennis Complex. Iowa’s 5-1 record is its best conference start to a season since 2006 (9-1).
The Hawkeyes started out the match capturing the doubles point. Elise van Heuvelen and Samantha Gillas continue their win streak with a 6-1 win over Purdue’s Zala Dovnik and Natalia Wolf Gasparin at the No. 2 spot.
Vipasha Mehra and Danielle Bauers improved to 2-0 on the weekend after clinching the doubles point with at 6-1 win at the No. 3 spot.
The Hawkeyes had several tough matches in singles, but came out on top. Samantha Gillas started singles play with a straight set win over Rut Galindo, 6-0, 6-1, at the No. 5 spot. Samantha Mannix gave the Hawkeyes a 3-1 lead after a back-and-forth battle against Zala Dovnik 6-4, 7-5, at the No. 3 spot.
“Sasha and I talked during the match about sticking to the game plan,” said Mannix. “Even when someone is starting to come back, just stick to having a specific target on my serve or having a specific target on the first three balls. I think the main thing is staying calm even when the opponent is coming back.”
Purdue came away with one singles point at the No. 4 spot. Seira Shimiza defeated Vipasha Mehra 6-4, 6-4 Freshman Alexa Noel then clinched the Hawkeye vicoty defeating senior Ena Babic, 7-5, 7-5, in a head-to-head battle at the No. 1 spot. Noel remains undefeated with a 12-0 record.
Elise van Heuvelen put her name in the record books, tying for fifth overall in all-time singles wins (84) after battling back to win the last two sets at the No. 2 spot. Purdue’s Csilla Fodor won the first set, 6-3 ,but the Iowa senior regrouped and won the final two sets 6-1, 6-3. Van Heuvelen is tied with Hillary Mintz for fifth all-time.
Michelle Bacalla earned her first conference win of the season in a three-set battle against Zeynep Naz Ozturk. The junior fell short the first set, 6-4, but won the final two sets 7-5, 10-6.
QUOTING @SASHASCHMID
“Any match in the Big Ten is a competitive match and to the finish the home weekend 2-0 was great. I felt like today was a good day for confidence on multiple courts and now we just have to get back and stay hungry at practice to get ready for Penn State and Ohio State.”
UP NEXT
The Hawkeyes return to action hosting Penn State on Friday at 3 p.m. (CT) at the Hawkeye Recreation and Tennis Complex.
Iowa 6, Purdue 1
Feb. 28, 2021 | 11 a.m. | Iowa City, Iowa | Hawkeye Recreation Tennis Complex
SINGLES
#97 Alexa Noel (IA) def. Ena Babic (P): 7-5, 7-5
Elise van Heuvelen Treadwell (IA) def. Csilla Fodor (P): 3-6, 6-1, 6-3
Samantha Mannix (IA) def. Zala Dovnik (P): 6-4, 7-5
Rut Galindo(P) def. Vipasha Mehra (IA): 6-4, 6-4
Samantha Gillas (IA) def. Zeynep Naz Ozturk (P): 6-0, 6-1
Michelle Bacalla (IA) def. Nathalia Wolf Gasparin (P): 4-6, 7-5, 10-6
DOUBLES
Noel/Mannix (IA) vs. Babic/Fodor (P): unfinished
Van Heuvelen /Gillas (IA) def. Gasparin/Dovnik (P): 6-1
Bauers/Mehra (IA) def. Ozturk/ Galindo (P): 6-1
Order of Finish: Doubles: (2,3); Singles: (5,4,3,1,2,6)
