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WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – The Eastern Kentucky University men’s tennis team opened its spring schedule this past weekend at Purdue. The Colonels competed in the Boilermaker Invitational Saturday and Sunday before falling to Big Ten foe Purdue in a dual match Monday morning, 6-1.

Against the Boilermakers, sophomore Parul Verma (No. 5) was the lone EKU singles player to come away victorious. However, both junior Alex Das (No. 1) and sophomore Carlos Valdenebro (No. 4) split their opening sets before dropping the deciding super tie-breakers.

“As is the case it lots of tight matches, the doubles point can prove to be huge,” EKU head coach Rob Oertel said. “Purdue carried the momentum from the doubles into the singles matches. They were the better team today.”

In the Boilermaker Invitational, Das and newcomer Hugo Klientovsky both finished 2-1 in their three singles matches. Das’ lone defeat came against the tournament champion, Dino Marcan of Ohio State. The Colonels swept all six singles matches against Valparaiso Saturday evening.

Eastern Kentucky has next weekend off before hosting Southern Illinois and Brescia on Saturday, Jan. 30.

Purdue 6, Eastern Kentucky 1

Singles
1. Slavko Bijelica (PUR) def. Alex Das (EKU) 6-4, 6-7 (4), (10-7)
2. P.J. Rose (PUR) def. Hugo Klientovsky (EKU) 6-4, 6-0
3. Eric Ramos (PUR) def. Niklas Schroeder (EKU) 6-3, 6-2
4. Paul Foley (PUR) def. Carlos Valdenebro (EKU) 6-3, 3-6, (10-3)
5. Parul Verma (EKU) def. Matt Mannasse (PUR) 6-3, 6-2
6. Thomas Wilson (PUR) def. Carles Pons (EKU) 6-1, 7-6 (4)

Doubles
1. Klientovsky/Schroeder (EKU) def. Ramos/Rose (PUR) 8-7 (4)
2. Bijelica/Wilson (PUR) def. Das/Pons (EKU) 8-4
3. Foley/Mannasse (PUR) def. Janz/Verma (EKU) 8-2

Match Notes: Eastern Kentucky (0-1); Purdue (1-0)
Order of Finish: Doubles (3, 2, 1); Singles (2, 3, 5, 6*, 4, 1)