The UW women's tennis team looks to snap a six-match losing streak this weekend at Nielsen Tennis Center, as it will play host to No. 50 Purdue on Friday and Illinois on Saturday.
The Badgers (0-5 Big Ten, 3-11 overall), who have also lost 11 of their last 12, are coming off a 7-0 home loss to No. 3 Notre Dame on March 22. Senior Caitlin Burke and junior Nicole Beck notched the only victory for UW at No. 2 doubles, rebounding from a 6-3 deficit to edge out Notre Dame's Katie Potts and Kelcy Tefft 8-7 (7-5).
Both Badger players were held out of singles competition, however, with Burke fighting a right wrist injury and Beck nursing a right triceps injury. Burke, who is currently ranked No. 18 in the nation, hasn't played a singles match since early February. She leads the team with a 5-1 record in the spring season. Beck has played just two singles matches thus far. UW coach Patti Henderson is hopeful that both players will be ready to go in both singles and doubles this weekend.
On Friday, the Badgers will take on a Purdue team that has won its last seven matches, including a 7-0 drubbing of then-No. 74 Michigan State last Saturday. Purdue's No. 1 doubles duo of Mallory Voelker and Brooke Beier is ranked No. 33 in the nation. Voelker, a sophomore who also plays No. 1 singles, is a Dousman, Wis., native. She holds an 8-3 singles record at the No. 1 spot.
Last year, the Boilermakers (2-0, 9-2) defeated the Badgers 7-0 in a dual match at West Lafayette, Ind.
""We saw Purdue in the middle of January at the Virginia Invitational, so that is helpful for us because we know their players, and we've seen their players,"" UW coach Patti Henderson said.
Illinois (0-2, 4-9) completed last weekend with a 1-3 record, including a 5-2 loss to Michigan State on Sunday and a 4-2 victory over Texas-San Antonio, which is coached by former UW assistant coach Erin Boisclair.
The Badgers were edged out last spring 4-3 by the Fighting Illini in Urbana, Ill.
Henderson is confident that a new approach taken in practice will help her players keep a positive, winning attitude despite recent struggles.
""We dissect matches and dissect points in order to find a way to come off of the court and take a victory out of a loss,"" Henderson said. ""Practices have been specific, we've been working on things that are unique to each of the players.
""They just have to find ways to get confidence, so that when they have those opportunities, they are able to believe in themselves,"" she added.
