Michigan Uses Balanced Attack to Conquer Wisconsin

Sunday, February 27

Ann Arbor, Mich.

Noon

Michigan

Wisconsin

2/27/2005 12:00:00 AM | Men's Tennis

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The No. 39 University of Michigan men's tennis team remained undefeated in the Big Ten Conference by defeating Wisconsin 5-2 Sunday afternoon (Feb. 27) at the Varsity Tennis Center. The Wolverines (7-2, 2-0 Big Ten) earned a doubles sweep for the second consecutive match, then claimed four singles wins to clinch their fourth straight team victory.

Josef Fischer was a winner in both doubles and singles.

Sophomore Brian Hung (Hong Kong, China/Sagemont Virtual School) and freshman Matko Maravic (Zagreb, Croatia/V. Gimnazija) put Michigan in good position at the start of doubles by posting a dominating 8-3 victory over Alex and Lachezar Kasarov at No. 1. Seniors David Anving (Tvaaker, Sweden/Varbergs Gynasieskola) and Vinny Gossain (Okemos, Mich./Okemos HS) never gave Elliott Bisnow and Jeremy Sonkin a chance in their match at No. 3, cruising to an 8-2 win to clinch the doubles point.

Senior Josef Fischer (Nuernberg, Germany/Bradenton Academy) and sophomore Ryan Heller (Northbrook, Ill./Glenbrook North HS) completed the sweep, defeating Jordan Raemisch and Mark Weinig 8-5 at No. 2. Fischer and Heller improve to 3-1 in dual match competition this season.

Sonkin evened the match at No. 2 singles, sending Maravic to his first loss in four matches (6-4, 6-3). Fischer made sure that U-M stayed in front, however, earning a 6-3, 7-4 victory over Brian Ko at No. 6. Senior Michael Rubin (Canton, Ohio/Canton Central Catholic HS) continued to tear through his competition at No. 1, moving past Alex Kasarov 6-3, 6-4 to improve his dual match record to 7-2 and bring U-M within one match of clinching the team win.

Heller provided the clincher with a victory at No. 3, defeating Lachezar Kasarov in a tiebreaker. After earning a 6-4 win in the first set, Heller was able to build a 4-1 lead in the second frame. Kasarov responded by winning five of the next six games to take a 6-5 advantage. Heller then broke serve and eventually won 7-5 in the tiebreaker set.

Sophomore Steve Peretz (Brooklyn, N.Y./The Dwight School) earned his team-leading 12th singles victory of 2004-05, as he put away Bisnow 6-3, 7-5 at No. 4 to give Michigan its fifth and final point of the match.

Anving handed Felipe Belllido a 6-1 defeat in the first set of their match at No. 5, but Bellido went on to win the next two frames 6-2, 6-3 to supply the Badgers with their second team point.

The Wolverines will spend their Spring Break in San Diego, Calif., and have scheduled a pair of non-conference matches during their stay. U-M will face San Diego on Friday (March 4) before a neutral-site meeting with Rice on Sunday (March 6). Both matches are scheduled for a 1:30 p.m. PST. The San Diego match will take place at the USD West Courts, while the Rice match will be played at the Barnes Tennis Center.

Following are match-by-match results:

Singles
No. 1 -- #100 Michael Rubin (U-M) d. Alex Kasarov, 6-3, 6-4
No. 2 -- Jeremy Sonkin (UW) d. Matko Maravic, 6-4, 6-3
No. 3 -- Ryan Heller (U-M) d. Lachezar Kasarov, 6-4, 7-6(5)
No. 4 -- Steve Peretz (U-M) d. Elliott Bisnow, 6-3, 7-5
No. 5 -- Felipe Bellido (UW) d. David Anving, 1-6, 6-2, 6-3
No. 6 -- Josef Fischer (U-M) d. Brian Ko, 6-3, 6-4

Doubles
No. 1 -- Hung/Maravic (U-M) d. Kasarov/Kasarov, 8-3
No. 2 -- Fischer/Heller (U-M) d. Jordan Raemisch/Mark Weinig, 8-5
No. 3 -- Vinny Gossain/Anving (U-M) d. Bisnow/Sonkin, 8-2

Order of Completion: Doubles 1-3-2, Singles 2-6-1-3-4-5

Contact: Marc Ressler (734) 763-4423