The 37th-ranked University of Minnesota men's tennis team wrapped up the 2006 regular season today with a 7-0 win over Purdue in West Lafayette, Ind. The Golden Gophers (13 -11, 7-3 Big Ten) went 2-1 in doubles and 6-0 in singles to clinch the No. 3 seed for next weekend's Big Ten Championship at the Baseline Tennis Center on the campus of the University of Minnesota. The Maroon and Gold will take on the winner of the Penn State/ Iowa match in the quarterfinals at 2 p.m., on Friday, April 28.

Minnesota opened today's match against the Boilermakers (8-14, 3-7) with a 2-1 showing in doubles play to take the early 1-0 lead. After a Purdue win at No. 3, the Golden Gophers won close matches at Nos. 1 and 2 for the doubles point. At No. 1, D.J. Geatz and Andres Osorio won their second conference match of the season with an 8-5 win over Colin Foster and Kurt Zaske. The Golden Gophers clinched the doubles point with Nic Edlefsen and Sion Wilkins' 9-7 victory over Eric Hodgman and Griffin Nienberg at No. 2. The win was the UM duo's first of the Big Ten season.

The Maroon and Gold rolled to the 7-0 rout with six wins in singles play. Raoul Schwark opened with a 7-6, 6-2 triumph over Jarred Leibner at No. 4 to win for the 13th time in the last 14 matches. He wrapped up the spring with an 18-6, including a 9-1 mark in Big Ten play. After an Osorio win at No. 2, 61st-ranked Geatz clinched the team victory with a 2-6, 6-2, 6-2 win over Foster at No. 1.

Two of the final three matches went to three sets with the Golden Gophers finding victory in all three. At No. 6, Mikey Kantar earned his first Big Ten win of the season with a 6-4, 3-6, 6-2 victory over Matt Zollman. Edlefsen then snapped a four-match losing streak at No. 3 with a 7-5, 7-5 win over Hodgman. Wrapping up the afternoon was Wilkins' 7-6 (5), 2-6, 1-0 (10-2) victory over Zaske.

Minnesota retuns home next weekend to host the 2006 Big Ten Championship at the Baseline Tennis Center in Minneapolis, Minn. The conference tournament kicks off on Thursday, April 27 and wraps up with the championship match at noon on Sunday, April 30.

#37 Minnesota at Purdue
April 23, 2006
West Lafayette, Ind.

Singles
1. #61 D.J. Geatz (MN) def. Colin Foster (PUR), 2-6, 6-2, 6-2
2. Andres Osorio (MN) def. Scott Warner (PUR), 7-6 (5), 7-5
3. #120 Nic Edlefsen (MN) def. Eric Hodgman (PUR), 7-5, 7-5
4. Raoul Schwark (MN) def. Jarred Leibner (PUR), 7-6, 6-2
5. Sion Wilkins (MN) def. Kurt Zaske (PUR), 7-6 (5), 2-6, 1-0 (10-2)
6. Mikey Kantar (MN) def. Matt Zollman (PUR), 6-4, 3-6, 6-2
Order of finish: 4,2,1,6,3,5

Doubles
1. Geatz/Osorio (MN) def. Colin Foster/Kurt Zaske (PUR), 8-5
2. Edlefsen/Wilkins (MN) def. Hodgman/Griffin Nienberg (PUR), 9-7
3. Warner/Jose Fuenmayor (PUR) def. Raoul Schwark/Mikey Kantar (MN), 8-4
Order of finish: 3,1,2

#37 Minnesota def. Purdue, 7-0

Minnesota 13-11 (7-3 Big Ten) Purdue 8-14 (3-7 Big Ten)