#24 Orange Defeat Purdue, Punch Ticket to ITA National Team Indoor Championship

Sunday, January 27

Oxford, MS

3 pm

Syracuse University

Purdue

#24 Orange Defeat Purdue, Punch Ticket to ITA National Team Indoor Championship

1/27/2019 7:30:00 PM | Tennis

Box Score

OXFORD, Miss. - The No. 24th-ranked Syracuse women's tennis team defeated Purdue, 4-3, at the ITA Kick-Off Weekend tournament on Sunday, Jan. 27. With the victory, which took nearly four hours to earn, the Orange punched their ticket to next month's ITA National Team Indoor Championships for the first time in program history.

Syracuse is now 4-0 overall this season.

HOW IT HAPPENED
Senior Dina Hegab yet again found herself in position to clinch the dual victory in singles play for the Orange, and she rose to the occasion.

With the dual tied at three, Hegab held off Purdue's Alex Sabe in three sets, winning 6-1, 4-6, 6-4 to give Syracuse its fourth consecutive victory, as well as a trip to the indoor championships.

It took nearly fours hours and a lot of back-and-forth action to get there, though.

The Orange were in an immediate hole after losing the doubles point to begin the day. Senior Gabriela Knutson and junior Miranda Ramirez, the Orange's top doubles duo, lost 7-5, while junior Guzal Yusupova and Hegab lost 6-2.

The No. 24th-ranked pair of sophomore Sofya Golubovskaya and freshman Sofya Treshcheva were deadlocked at 6-6 against Purdue's Seira Shimizu and Caitlin Calkins, but their match went unfinished after the Boilermakers clinched the doubles point.

No. 92 Golubovskaya evened the dual at one, convincingly winning her singles match in straight sets (6-2, 6-1). Treshcehva, however, lost 6-3, 6-2 shortly after her countrymate's win, and Purdue regained the lead, 2-1.

Syracuse would not be deterred, though. The Orange reeled off two straight singles wins behind strong efforts from Ramirez and Yusupova. Ramirez defeated Purdue's Seira Shimizu in three sets (4-6, 6-4, 6-0) before Yusupova moved past Amina Mukhametshina in three sets (6-4, 1-6, 6-3).

Up 3-2, the Orange needed only one singles win from either No. 43 Knutson or Hegab to seal the dual victory. Knutson fought mightily but lost to No. 19 Silvia Ambrosio in three sets (4-6, 7-6 (7-5), 6-4), setting the stage for Hegab to play the hero once again.

OF NOTE
This season marks Syracuse's first 4-0 start since its 2015-16 campaign, when the Orange began the year with a 7-0 record.

HEAR FROM COACH LIMAM
"It's another milestone for our program. The ladies earned their tickets to the championships through perseverance and guts. Libi, Gabi, Masha and Dina have done so much for the program over the past four years, and to see them write even more history in their senior years is so fitting. We are definitely excited and value the opportunity to be able to play in Seattle with the elite teams."

UP NEXT
The Orange host Virginia in their first dual of the Atlantic Coast Conference season on Friday, Feb. 1. The match begins at 2 p.m. inside Drumlins Country Club.

For complete coverage of Syracuse tennis, follow us on Facebook (Syracuse Women's Tennis), Twitter (@Cuse_Tennis), Instagram (@CuseTennis).

RESULTS
#24 Syracuse 4, Purdue 3

1. #19 Silvia Ambrosio (PUR_W) def. #43 Gabriela Knutson (SU) 4-6, 7-6 (7-5), 6-4
2. #92 Sofya Golubovskaya (SU) def. Ena Babic (PUR_W) 6-2, 6-1
3. Miranda Ramirez (SU) def. Seira Shimizu (PUR_W) 4-6, 6-4, 6-0
4. Guzal Yusupova (SU) def. Amina Mukhametshina (PUR_W) 6-4, 1-6, 6-3
5. Dina Hegab (SU) def. Alex Sabe (PUR_W) 6-1, 4-6, 6-4
6. Caitlin Calkins (PUR_W) def. Sofya Treshcheva (SU) 6-3, 6-2

1. Silvia Ambrosio/Amina Mukhametshina (PUR_W) def. Gabriela Knutson/Miranda Ramirez (SU) 7-5
2. #24 Sofya Golubovskaya/Sofya Treshcheva (SU) vs. Seira Shimizu/Caitlin Calkins (PUR_W) 6-6, unfinished
3. Ena Babic/Zala Dovnik (PUR_W) def. Guzal Yusupova/Dina Hegab (SU) 6-2

Order of finish: Doubles (3,1); Singles (2,6,3,4,1,5)