Saturday, April 5
Lafayette, Ind.
11 AM
Michigan State University
4
at
3
Purdue
Photo by: Rey Del Rio
No. 58 Spartan Women’s Tennis Earns Fourth Upset Of Spring Season With 4-3 Win Over No. 53 Purdue
4/5/2025 5:00:00 PM | Women's Tennis
MSU notches fourth B1G win of the season in a gutsy 4-3 win.
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – No. 58 Michigan State women's tennis secured its fourth upset of the season in a 4-3 victory over No. 53 Purdue on the road.
The Spartans have now granted themselves a 12-8 overall record, adding an additional win under their Big Ten Conference belt, standing at 3-5.
Purdue slides to 10-5 overall, with a 4-4 conference record.
The Boilermakers held a 9-0 record at home prior to hosting the Spartans, with the Green & White dealing them their first loss in home territory.
The day kicked off in a triumphant manner for MSU, with the doubles pairings of freshman Ellie Blackford/senior Liisa Vehilainen at No. 1 doubles and freshman Amara Brahmbhatt/junior Matilde Morais at No. 3 doubles reverse sweeping their competitions and locking down the doubles point.
At No. 3 doubles, Brahmbhatt/Morais were the first Spartan victory going 6-3, while Blackford/Vehvilainen followed soon after, defeating their Purdue opponents, 6-4.
Singles matches were a back-and-forth battle between teams, with the Boilermakers locking down three points in an attempt to regain momentum.
First to fall was Vehvilainen at No. 1 singles who was topped by Purdue's highly talented Carmen Gallardo Guevara, 6-1, 6-1.
Bouncing back for the Green & White was redshirt-sophomore Hanna Tsitavets, who took her match against Juana Larranaga 6-2, 6-3.
Brahmbhatt, another consistent key player for the Spartans, added another to the Spartan total, notching two tie-break wins at No. 3 singles 7-6 (7-4), 7-6 (7-5).
The remaining matches were hard-fought battles from all sides, with Purdue securing two additional matches in an attempt to beat the Spartans
Blackford dropped an extensive battle at No. 2 singles, going 5-7, 6-1 and finally falling in her third set to Ida Clement, 2-6.
Another point was clinched at No. 6 singles by Purdue's Kathryn Wilson against redshirt-sophomore Oriana Parkins-Godwin, where she was reverse swept 7-5, 2-6, 3-6.
With the match tied, the final deciding point came down to No. 4 singles, where veteran Matilde Morais was locked in against Purdue's Ece Gencer.
Morais took her first set, 6-3 but dropped her second set, 2-6, forcing the third.
In a nail-biting finish, Morais clinched the match for MSU in a tie-break of 7-6 (7-4).
The Green & White now travel to Bloomington, Ind. to face off against the Indiana Hoosiers on Sunday, April 6 at 12 p.m.
Following their match against the Hoosiers, the Spartans return to East Lansing for their final weekend of home play against Washington on Saturday, April 12 and Oregon on Sunday, April 13, with both matches at 12 p.m. at the MSU Indoor Tennis center.
Visit MSUSpartans.com for more information on Michigan State women's tennis. Fans can keep up to date with the Spartan women's tennis team on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter by following @MSU_WTennis.
Doubles:
Order of Finish:
Doubles: 2, 3, 1
Singles: 1, 5, 3, 2, 6, 4
The Spartans have now granted themselves a 12-8 overall record, adding an additional win under their Big Ten Conference belt, standing at 3-5.
Purdue slides to 10-5 overall, with a 4-4 conference record.
The Boilermakers held a 9-0 record at home prior to hosting the Spartans, with the Green & White dealing them their first loss in home territory.
The day kicked off in a triumphant manner for MSU, with the doubles pairings of freshman Ellie Blackford/senior Liisa Vehilainen at No. 1 doubles and freshman Amara Brahmbhatt/junior Matilde Morais at No. 3 doubles reverse sweeping their competitions and locking down the doubles point.
At No. 3 doubles, Brahmbhatt/Morais were the first Spartan victory going 6-3, while Blackford/Vehvilainen followed soon after, defeating their Purdue opponents, 6-4.
Singles matches were a back-and-forth battle between teams, with the Boilermakers locking down three points in an attempt to regain momentum.
First to fall was Vehvilainen at No. 1 singles who was topped by Purdue's highly talented Carmen Gallardo Guevara, 6-1, 6-1.
Bouncing back for the Green & White was redshirt-sophomore Hanna Tsitavets, who took her match against Juana Larranaga 6-2, 6-3.
Brahmbhatt, another consistent key player for the Spartans, added another to the Spartan total, notching two tie-break wins at No. 3 singles 7-6 (7-4), 7-6 (7-5).
The remaining matches were hard-fought battles from all sides, with Purdue securing two additional matches in an attempt to beat the Spartans
Blackford dropped an extensive battle at No. 2 singles, going 5-7, 6-1 and finally falling in her third set to Ida Clement, 2-6.
Another point was clinched at No. 6 singles by Purdue's Kathryn Wilson against redshirt-sophomore Oriana Parkins-Godwin, where she was reverse swept 7-5, 2-6, 3-6.
With the match tied, the final deciding point came down to No. 4 singles, where veteran Matilde Morais was locked in against Purdue's Ece Gencer.
Morais took her first set, 6-3 but dropped her second set, 2-6, forcing the third.
In a nail-biting finish, Morais clinched the match for MSU in a tie-break of 7-6 (7-4).
The Green & White now travel to Bloomington, Ind. to face off against the Indiana Hoosiers on Sunday, April 6 at 12 p.m.
Following their match against the Hoosiers, the Spartans return to East Lansing for their final weekend of home play against Washington on Saturday, April 12 and Oregon on Sunday, April 13, with both matches at 12 p.m. at the MSU Indoor Tennis center.
Visit MSUSpartans.com for more information on Michigan State women's tennis. Fans can keep up to date with the Spartan women's tennis team on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter by following @MSU_WTennis.
Doubles:
- Liisa Vehviläinen / Ellie Blackford (MSU) def. Carmen Gallardo Guevara / Tara Katarina Milic (PUR): 6-4
- Fatima Gutierrez / Kathryn Wilson (PUR) def. Hanna Tsitavets / Oriana Parkins-Godwin (MSU): 6-2
- Matilde Morais / Amara Brahmbhatt (MSU) def. Ida Clement / Ashlie Wilson (PUR): 6-3
- Carmen Gallardo Guevara (PUR) def. Liisa Vehviläinen (MSU): 6-1, 6-1
- Ida Clement (PUR) def. Ellie Blackford (MSU): 7-5, 1-6, 6-2
- Amara Brahmbhatt (MSU) def. Fatima Gutierrez (PUR): 7-6 (4), 7-6 (5)
- Matilde Morais (MSU) def. Ece Gencer (PUR): 6-3, 2-6, 7-6 (4)
- Hanna Tsitavets (MSU) def. Juana Larranaga (PUR): 6-2, 6-3
- Kathryn Wilson (PUR) def. Oriana Parkins-Godwin (MSU): 5-7, 6-2, 6-3
Order of Finish:
Doubles: 2, 3, 1
Singles: 1, 5, 3, 2, 6, 4
Team Stats
#1 Doubles Match
#2 Doubles Match
#3 Doubles Match
Order of Finish:
2,3,1
#1 Singles Match
12
11
Carmen Gallardo Guev / 0 [PUR]
66
#2 Singles Match
123
562
Ida Clement / 0 [PUR]
716
#3 Singles Match
12
77
Fatima Gutierrez / 0 [PUR]
66
#4 Singles Match
123
627
Ece Gencer / 0 [PUR]
366
#5 Singles Match
12
66
Juana Larranaga / 0 [PUR]
23
#6 Singles Match
123
723
Kathryn Wilson / 0 [PUR]
566
Order of Finish:
1,5,3,2,6,4
Players Mentioned
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
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