Sophomore Abe Souza stole the show for the second time in as many matches Friday, this time against a stiffer opponent.
Souza led the No. 11 Illini to a 4-3 victory against Big Ten foe Purdue after cruising to an afternoon victory against Detroit Mercy. The St. Louis native defeated junior Paul Foley, 6-1, 6-3, to bring the score to 3-1 in the match.
Purdue scored first with a victory in the doubles portion, but four Illini came up big to finish the comeback. The win brings Illinois’ overall record to 9-3 on the season and 1-0 in the Big Ten.