Michigan
Vanderbilt
Late Singles Surge Sends Michigan Past Vanderbilt
2/6/2009 12:00:00 AM | Men's Tennis
Site: Nashville, Tenn. (Currey Tennis Center)
Score: #14 Michigan 4, Vanderbilt 3
Records: U-M (5-0), VU (1-2)
Next U-M Match: Saturday, Feb. 7 -- vs. North Carolina State (Nashville, Tenn.), 1 p.m. CST
NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- The No. 14-ranked University of Michigan men's tennis team pulled out a big 4-3 comeback victory over No. 28-ranked Vanderbilt on Friday afternoon (Feb. 6) at the Currey Tennis Center. The Wolverines (5-0) dropped a close doubles point and two of the first three matches in singles action but went on to win the three remaining matches in straight sets to complete the comeback and remain undefeated this season at 5-0.
One of the team's greatest comebacks in the coach Bruce Berque era began on the No. 1 singles court, where sophomore Jason Jung (Torrance, Calif./West Torrance HS) closed out Bryant Salcedo by a 6-4, 6-2 score to cut the Commodore lead to 3-2. Jung is off to a torrid start in his second dual-match campaign and holds a perfect 5-0 record at the top spot.
Senior Andrew Mazlin (Altamonte Springs, Fla./Lyman HS) evened the team score at 3-3 with a gritty 7-6(4), 6-4 victory over Vijay Paul at No. 3. Mazlin also holds an unblemished mark in dual-match play at 4-0.
Sophomore/freshman Drew Daniel (Overland Park, Kan./Laurel Springs School) clinched a U-M victory for the third straight match as he completed a 6-4, 6-3 win over Charlie Jones at No. 6. Daniel has been victorious in his first four career dual matches at the sixth position and is tied with Jung for the team lead in overall singles wins with 12.
Vanderbilt took a 1-0 lead thanks to a pair of 8-6 victories at the top two doubles spots. Daniel and sophomore Chris Madden (Lotus, Calif./Ponderosa HS) prevented the overall sweep by shutting out Jones and Alex DiValerio in the tiebreak set at No. 3. The Wolverine tandem, which trailed 6-3 before sending the match to a tiebreak, holds a team-best 4-1 record in dual-match action.
Madden came out fired up in singles play and quickly dispatched Alex Zotov by a score of 6-1, 6-4 at No. 5 to provide Michigan with a critical team point. Madden carries a perfect 5-0 dual-match mark and a team-best six-match winning streak.
The Commodores responded with a pair of straight-set victories to take a commanding 3-1 lead and set the stage for the Maize and Blue's remarkable comeback effort.
The Wolverines will return to the Currey Tennis Center tomorrow (Saturday, Feb. 7) for a neutral-site meeting with North Carolina State at 1 p.m. CST.
Following are match-by-match results:
Singles
No. 1 -- Jason Jung (U-M) d. Bryant Salcedo, 6-4, 6-2
No. 2 -- Nick Cromydas (VU) d. Mike Sroczynski, 6-4, 6-2
No. 3 -- Andrew Mazlin (U-M) d. Vijay Paul, 7-6(4), 6-4
No. 4 -- Adam Baker (VU) d. Peter Aarts, 6-2, 6-2
No. 5 -- Chris Madden (U-M) d. Alex Zotov, 6-1, 6-4
No. 6 -- Drew Daniel (U-M) d. Charlie Jones, 6-4, 6-3
Doubles
No. 1 -- #32 Baker/Zotov(VU) d. #8 Jung/Sroczynski, 8-6
No. 2 -- Cromydas/Salcedo (VU) d. Mazlin/George Navas, 8-6
No. 3 -- Daniel/Madden (U-M) d. Alex DiValerio/Jones, 9-8(0)
Order of Completion: Doubles 1-2-3, Singles 5-4-2-1-3-6
Players Mentioned
