Michigan
Penn State
Michigan Falls Just Short Against Penn State
3/10/2007 12:00:00 AM | Men's Tennis
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The No. 21-ranked University of Michigan men's tennis team dropped a close 4-3 decision to No. 54-ranked Penn State Saturday night (March 10) at the Varsity Tennis Center. The Wolverines (9-4, 1-1 Big Ten) came away with a tight doubles point but were only able to pick up singles victories at Nos. 2 and 4 en route to their first Big Ten Conference loss of the season.
Senior Ryan Heller (Northbrook, Ill./Glenbrook North HS) and sophomore Andrew Mazlin (Altamonte Springs, Fla./Lyman HS) continued their doubles dominance, earning an 8-3 victory over Ryan Gormley and Adam Slagter at No. 2 to give the Wolverines an early edge. After each team held serve through the first four games, Heller and Mazlin pulled away by claiming six of the next seven games. The pair holds an 8-2 mark in dual match play and an 11-3 record overall in 2006-07.
Michigan's No. 2-ranked doubles team of senior Brian Hung (Hong Kong, China/Sagemont Virtual School) and junior Matko Maravic (Zagreb, Croatia/V. Gimnazija) jumped out to a 7-4 lead over Ryan Berger and Michael James and No. 1, but the Nittany Lion duo stormed back to win five straight games and secure a 9-7 upset win. Hung and Maravic won just six points during the last five games and gave up seven straight points with the match tied at 7-7 (15-15). It marked the Wolverine tandem's second loss in dual match action (10-2) and just its fourth defeat in 22 matches this year.
With the doubles point on the line, Michigan's youth came through in the clutch. Freshmen George Navas (Tampa, Fla./Tampa Preparatory School) and Mike Sroczynski (Chatham, N.J./Laurel Springs School) broke James Dwyer and Bradley Hunter's serve to pull head 8-7, and Navas served out the match to clinch a 9-7 triumph and the first team point for the Maize and Blue. With the win, the U-M pair improved to 10-3 overall and 8-3 against dual match opposition.
Penn State (9-2, 2-1 Big Ten) knotted the match at 1-1 thanks to Slagter's 6-1, 6-4 victory over Heller at No. 3 singles. It was just Heller's third loss in 11 dual match outings. The scored was tied for just a few minutes, however, as the 52nd-ranked Maravic's 6-2, 6-4 triumph over Berger at No. 2 put the Wolverines back in front 2-1. Maravic has won three straight matches, and he becomes the first U-M player this season to reach 10 dual match wins (10-3).
Michigan found itself tied with the Nittany Lions once again after Gormley handed Navas a 7-6(2), 6-1 loss at No. 5. The Maize and Blue was not able to return the favor this time though, as the 93rd-ranked James pulled off a 6-1, 5-7, 6-3 upset over the 39th-ranked Hung at No. 1 to push the PSU lead to 3-2.
Sophomore Scott Bruckmann (Sarasota, Fla./Saint Stephen's Episcopal School) gave a spirited effort at No. 6, but he could not complete a comeback attempt against Dwyer. Bruckmann's 6-2, 3-6, 7-6(4) loss gave Penn State the team win over the Wolverines for the second straight year. It was Bruckmann's first defeat in five dual matches this season.
Mazlin closed out the match with a gritty 6-4, 5-7, 7-6(2) victory over Hunter at No. 4. Mazlin now stands at 17-5 overall and 9-2 in dual match play.
The Wolverines will travel to East Lansing, Mich., on Friday (March 16) for a 6 p.m. match against intrastate rival Michigan State. U-M will then return home to the Varsity Tennis Center to host Pennsylvania on Sunday (March 18) at noon.
Following are match-by-match results:
Singles
No. 1 -- #93 Michael James (PSU) d. #39 Brian Hung, 6-1, 5-7, 6-3
No. 2 -- #52 Matko Maravic (U-M) d. Ryan Berger, 6-2, 6-4
No. 3 -- Adam Slagter (PSU) d. Ryan Heller, 6-1, 6-4
No. 4 -- Andrew Mazlin (U-M) d. Bradley Hunter, 6-4, 5-7, 7-6(2)
No. 5 -- Ryan Gormley (PSU) d. George Navas, 7-6(2), 6-1
No. 6 -- James Dwyer (PSU) d. Scott Bruckmann, 6-2, 3-6, 7-6(4)
Doubles
No. 1 -- Berger/James (PSU) d. #2 Hung/Maravic, 9-7
No. 2 -- Heller/Mazlin (U-M) d. Gormley/Slagter, 8-3
No. 3 -- Navas/Mike Sroczynski (U-M) d. Dwyer/Hunter, 9-7
Order of Completion: Doubles 2-1-3, Singles 3-2-5-1-6-4
Contact: Marc Ressler (734) 763-4423
Players Mentioned
