Wolverines Pick Up Non-Conference Victory Over Penn

Sunday, March 18

Ann Arbor, Mich.

Noon

Michigan

Pennsylvania

3/18/2007 12:00:00 AM | Men's Tennis

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The No. 28-ranked University of Michigan men's tennis team improved to 11-4 in dual match play by defeating No. 68-ranked Pennsylvania by a score of 6-1 Sunday afternoon (March 18) at the Varsity Tennis Center. The Wolverines claimed their eighth doubles sweep and followed with wins on five of six singles courts to improve their home record to 7-1.

Hung and Maravic snapped a two-match losing streak at No. 1 doubles to lead U-M past Pennsylvania.

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) snapped a two-match losing skid with an 8-4 victory over Joseph Lok and Jason Pinksy at No. 1. Hung and Maravic used an early break to build a 3-0 lead, and then broke Penn's serve again in the final game to wrap up the win and give the Wolverines the early momentum. The U-M pair has won 11 of 14 matches in dual match play this season.

Freshmen George Navas (Tampa, Fla./Tampa Preparatory School) and Mike Sroczynski (Chatham, N.J./Laurel Springs School) battled back from a 3-1 hole at No. 3, claiming seven of the next nine games to earn an 8-5 triumph and clinch the first team point for the Maize and Blue. It marked the 12th time in 15 matches this season that U-M has claimed the doubles point.

Michigan secured the doubles sweep thanks to senior Ryan Heller (Northbrook, Ill./Glenbrook North HS) and sophomore Andrew Mazlin's (Altamonte Springs, Fla./Lyman HS) 9-7 triumph over Mikhail Bekker and Jonathan Boym at No. 2. The Quaker duo used a late charge to win two straight games and tie the match at 7-7, but Heller and Mazlin held serve and then recorded a break in the final game to seal their fourth straight victory. The tandem improves to 13-3 overall and 10-2 against dual match opposition.

Mazlin and Heller carried their solid play into singles action. Mazlin closed out Lok by a score of 6-4, 6-2 at No. 4 to give the Wolverines a 2-0 lead, while Heller handed Fox a 6-2, 6-4 loss at No. 3 to put U-M one win away from the team victory. Mazlin now holds a team-best five-match winning streak and stands at 11-2 in dual match play. Heller has won all but two of his nine matches at the third position and holds a 10-3 dual match record.

Sophomore Scott Bruckmann (Sarasota, Fla./Saint Stephen's Episcopal School) closed the door on Pennsylvania, as his 6-1, 4-6, 6-4 triumph over Adam Schwartz at No. 6 put the Maize and Blue ahead 4-0. Bruckmann improves to 5-1 on the dual match season and 13-6 overall in 2006-07.

Maravic and Hung pulled off great comeback wins at Nos. 1 and 2, respectively, to put Michigan in front, 6-0. The 52nd-ranked Maravic battled back to take a 5-7, 6-2, 6-3 victory from 50th-ranked Pinsky and become the first Wolverine this season to reach 20 overall singles wins (20-8). Hung fought his way to a 3-6, 6-4, 6-4 triumph over Boym to complete an undefeated weekend in singles.

Bekker prevented the overall U-M sweep, outlasting Navas by a score of 6-1, 6-7(9), 6-4 at No. 5 to close out the match.

The Wolverines will travel to Madison, Wis., to face Wisconsin Saturday (March 24) at the Nielsen Tennis Stadium. The match is scheduled for a noon CDT start.

Following are match-by-match results:

Singles
No. 1 -- #52 Matko Maravic (U-M) d. #50 Jason Pinsky, 5-7, 6-2, 6-3
No. 2 -- #39 Brian Hung (U-M) d. Jonathan Boym, 3-6, 6-4, 6-4
No. 3 -- Ryan Heller (U-M) d. Justin Fox, 6-2, 6-4
No. 4 -- Andrew Mazlin (U-M) d. Joseph Lok, 6-4, 6-2
No. 5 -- Mikhail Bekker (PENN) d. George Navas, 6-1, 6-7(9), 6-4
No. 6 -- Scott Bruckmann (U-M) d. Adam Schwartz, 6-1, 4-6, 6-4

Doubles
No. 1 -- #2 Hung/Maravic (U-M) d. Lok/Pinsky, 8-4
No. 2 -- Heller/Mazlin (U-M) d. M. Bekker/Boym, 9-7
No. 3 -- Navas/Mike Sroczynski (U-M) d. Fox/Brandon O'Gara, 8-5

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

Contact: Marc Ressler (734) 763-4423