Michigan
Alabama
Michigan Sweeps Singles, Knocks Off No. 35 Alabama
2/19/2005 12:00:00 AM | Men's Tennis
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The No. 52 University of Michigan men's tennis team earned its biggest victory of the young season Saturday night (Feb. 19), upsetting No. 35 Alabama 6-1 in front a packed crowd at the Varsity Tennis Center. The Wolverines (4-2) went into singles action trailing 1-0 after dropping a tight doubles point, but stormed back to win all six singles matches to defeat the Crimson Tide (5-3).
Teaming together for the first time this season, senior Josef Fischer (Nuernberg, Germany/Bradenton Academy) and sophomore Ryan Heller (Northbrook, Ill./Glenbrook North HS) earned an 8-5 victory over Javier Bes and Sammy Struyf at No. 2 to give U-M the early advantage in doubles.
Sophomore Brian Hung (Hong Kong, China/Sagemont Virtual School) and freshman Matko Maravic (Zagreb, Croatia/V. Gimnazija), who also competed together for the first time this season, dropped a close 9-7 decision to Luigi D'Agord and Eric Molnar at No. 1. The Crimson Tide tandem was within one game of taking the match at 7-3, but Hung and Maravic broke serve and won the following three games to tie things up at 7-7. Unfortunately, D'Agord and Molnar went on to win the next two games and prevent U-M from clinching the doubles point.
In the deciding match at No. 3, Billy Mertz and Jordie Kindervater outlasted senior Vinny Gossain (Okemos, Mich./Okemos HS) and sophomore Steve Peretz (Brooklyn, N.Y./The Dwight School) 9-8(3) to give Alabama the first team point. Gossain and Peretz held a 6-4 lead before the Alabama pair came back to win the next three games and take a 7-6 advantage. Michigan was able to hold serve and tie the score at 7-7, and the match eventually went to a tiebreaker set. With the score tied at 3-3 in the extra frame, Mertz and Kindervater put the match away by winning four straight points to clinch the doubles point for the Crimson Tide.
Maravic got the Wolverines off to a strong start in singles action by closing out Joseph Jung in straight sets, 6-3, 6-4, to give U-M its first point of the evening. Maravic, who played at No. 2 for the first time in his collegiate career, improves to 4-2 on the dual match season.
Hung provided Michigan with its first lead of the match, defeating Bes (7-5, 6-4) at No. 3. Peretz followed suit at No. 5, battling back to defeat Mertz (2-6, 3-6, 6-3) for his team-high 10th singles win of 2004-05.
Heller clinched the team victory for the Wolverines, earning a three-set triumph over Molnar at No. 4. After surrendering the first set (3-6), Heller rebounded to take the next two frames, 6-4, 6-3, to put U-M on top 4-1.
Senior David Anving (Tvaaker, Sweden/Varbergs Gymnasieskola) celebrated his 23rd birthday in winning fashion, posting a 7-6(3), 7-6(1) decision over Struyf at No. 6 to make it five straight victories for the Maize and Blue.
Senior Michael Rubin (Canton, Ohio/Canton Central Catholic HS) earned perhaps his biggest win of 2004-05, upsetting the 31st-ranked D'Agord 4-6, 7-6(3), 6-4 at No. 1 to give U-M a clean sweep of the singles competition.
The Wolverines return to the Varsity Tennis Center tomorrow (Sunday, Feb. 20) for a noon match with Cornell.
Following are match-by-match results:
Singles
No. 1 -- Michael Rubin (U-M) d. #31 Luigi D'Agord, 4-6, 7-6(3), 6-4
No. 2 -- Matko Maravic (U-M) d. Joseph Jung, 6-3, 6-4
No. 3 -- #70 Brian Hung (U-M) d. Javier Bes, 7-5, 6-4
No. 4 -- Ryan Heller (U-M) d. Eric Molnar, 3-6, 6-4, 6-3
No. 5 -- Steve Peretz (U-M) d. Billy Mertz, 2-6, 6-3, 6-3
No. 6 -- David Anving (U-M) d. Sammy Struyf, 7-6(3), 7-6(1)
Doubles
No. 1 -- D'Agord/Molnar (ALA) d. Hung/Maravic, 9-7
No. 2 -- Josef Fischer/Heller (U-M) d. Bes/Struyf, 8-5
No. 3 -- Jordie Kindervater/Mertz (ALA) d. Vinny Gossain/Peretz, 9-8(3)
Order of Completion: Doubles 2-1-3, Singles 2-3-5-4-6-1
Contact: Marc Ressler (734) 763-4423
Players Mentioned
