WEST LAFAYETTE, March 25, 2019 (Press Release)

The No. 13 Fighting lllini men’s tennis team swept the Purdue Boilermakers, 4-0, on Sunday afternoon at the Schwartz Tennis Center in West Lafayette, Ind. Illinois improves to 9-6 overall this season and 3-0 in Big Ten play.

“Great to get another conference road win,” said head coach Brad Dancer.

Illinois earned the early advantage after clinching the doubles point for the seventh time this season. Junior duo Noe Khlif and Zeke Clark easily defeated Purdue’s Stephan Koenigsfest and Athell Bennett, 6-1. This marks the first time Khlif has played doubles during dual match season this year. In their second outing as a doubles pair, sophomore Alex Brown and junior Aleks Kovacevic clinched the doubles point for the Illini with a 6-1 victory over Mateo Julio and Dominik Sochureck. This marks the first win for this pair during doubles play.

Marking his return to singles play, redshirt sophomore Gui Gomes was the first one off the court defeating Franz Luna in the no. 5 spot, 6-2, 6-0. Clark continued the momentum, winning straight sets against Stephan Koenigsfest, 6-2, 6-3. Freshman Keenan Mayo clinched his second singles match of the season, defeating Maksymilian Raupuk, 6-1, 6-4.

That’s an #Illini victory! 🔶🔷

No. 13 Illinois sweeps past Purdue to move to 3-0 in Big Ten play!

Up next » vs. Nebraska (3/30) pic.twitter.com/41n4Xj8Oiv

— Illinois M Tennis (@IlliniMTennis) 24. März 2019

“We have been on the road awhile,” noted Dancer. “Cannot wait to get back to our fans next weekend.”

The No. 13 Fighting Illini men’s tennis team returns home to continue Big Ten play for a two-match homestand beginning at Noon CT for both days with the Nebraska Cornhuskers on Saturday, March 30 and the Iowa Hawkeyes on Sunday, March 31. The Illini have a perfect 7-0 record against the Cornhuskers, while they have a 25-game winning streak against the Hawkeyes including a perfect 13-0 record under Dancer.

Illini Notes

• UI earned the program’s 101^st victory against the Boilermakers. The Illini are now 101-11-1 all-time versus Purdue. The Boilermakers were Illinois’ first dual match opponent (on record) on May 13, 1905.
• Illinois clinched the doubles point for the seventh time this season. The Orange and Blue are 7-0 when clinching the doubles point.
• Illinois swept the doubles matches with wins on all three courts, including new junior pair, Noe Khlif and Zeke Clark
• Redshirt sophomore Gui Gomes earned his first singles dual match win of the season.

Results

#13 Illinois 4, Purdue 0 

Singles competition: Order of Finish (5,3,4)

1. Mateo Julio (PUR) vs. Aleks Kovacevic (UI) 5-7, 1-4, unfinished

2. Athell Bennett (PUR) vs. Alex Brown (UI) 6-7, 3-4, unfinished
3. Zeke Clark (UI) def. Stephan Koenigsfest (PUR) 6-2, 6-3
4. Keenan Mayo (UI) def. Maksymilian Raupuk (PUR) 6-1, 6-4

5. Gui Gomes (UI) def. Franz Luna (PUR) 6-2, 6-0
6. Santiago Galan (PUR) vs. Noe Khlif (UI) 3-6, 4-3, unfinished

Doubles competition: Order of finish (2,1)

1. Alex Brown/Aleks Kovacevic (UI) def. Mateo Julio/Dominik Sochureck (PUR) 6-1
2. Noe Khlif/Zeke Clark (UI) def. Stephan Koenigsfest/Athell Bennett (PUR) 6-1
3. Gui Gomes/Caleb Chakravarthi (UI) def. Franz Luna/Maksymilian Raupuk (PUR) 4-2

Records:

Illinois 9-6, 3-0 (Big Ten); National ranking #13
Purdue 6-8