Michigan
Illinois
Navas' Three-Set Win Clinches Men's Tennis Upset of No. 11 Illinois
4/18/2009 12:00:00 AM | Men's Tennis
Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (Varsity Tennis Center)
Score: Michigan 4, #11 Illinois 3
Records: U-M (11-13, 5-4 Big Ten), Illinois (18-7, 7-2 Big Ten)
Next U-M Match: Sunday, April 19 -- vs. Indiana (Varsity Tennis Center), 1 p.m.
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ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The No. 48-ranked University of Michigan men's tennis team earned a huge 4-3 upset victory over No. 11 Illinois on Saturday afternoon (April 18) on the outdoor courts at the Varsity Tennis Center. With the matched knotted at 2-2, juniors Mike Sroczynski (Chatham, N.J./Laurel Springs School) and George Navas (Tampa, Fla./Tampa Preparatory School) completed three-set singles wins at Nos. 3 and 5, respectively, to give the Wolverines (11-13, 5-4 Big Ten) just their second victory over the Fighting Illini in 17 tries dating back to 1997. After struggling through a tough eight-match losing streak, U-M has rebounded to win five of its last six matches and remain in the hunt for its fourth straight NCAA Championship bid.
Heading into singles action with a 1-0 lead, Michigan quickly found itself trailing 2-1 after Illinois earned straight-set victories at Nos. 1 and 4. Sophomore Jason Jung (Torrance, Calif./West Torrance HS) halted the Illini momentum with a big 6-4, 6-4 upset win over No. 68-ranked Marc Spicijaric at No. 2. Jung built a 5-1 lead in both sets en route to securing his fifth career victory over a nationally ranked opponent. He now holds a team-best five-match winning streak.
Sroczynski put the Wolverines in front 3-2 with a crucial 4-6, 6-3, 6-3 comeback victory over No. 36-ranked Dennis Nevolo at No. 3. Sroczynski hit his stride late in the match, claiming nine of the final 12 games to clinch his second career win over a nationally ranked opponent. It was then Navas' turn to shine, as he outlasted Ruan Roelofse by a score of 6-3, 6-7(2), 6-3 at No. 5 to give Michigan its second victory over a top-25 opponent this season. Navas, who earned a critical break to go ahead 5-3 in the third set, has won 10 of his 13 dual-match outings in 2009.
U-M earned the decisive doubles point with a pair of 8-5 victories at Nos. 2 and 3. Sroczynski and senior Peter Aarts (Pound Ridge, N.Y./Fox Lane HS) struck first, claiming the final three games in their triumph over Nevolo and Roy Kalmanovich at No. 3. Illinois answered with an 8-5 win of its own at No. 1, but senior Andrew Mazlin (Altamonte Springs, Fla./Lyman HS) and sophomore Chris Madden (Lotus, Calif./Ponderosa HS) pulled out a big victory over Roelofse and Brian Livingston at No. 2 to clinch Michigan's 14th doubles point of the season. Mazlin and Madden, who also won the final three games of their match, improve to 10-3 in dual-match play.
The Wolverines close out the regular season on Sunday (April 19) when they welcome Indiana to the Varsity Tennis Center at 1 p.m. Michigan will honor Aarts, Mazlin and fellow senior Mike DePietro (Bloomfield Hills, Mich./Lahser HS) prior to the match. A free barbeque will be available to all fans while supplies last.
Following are match-by-match results:
Singles
No. 1 -- #48 Roy Kalmanovich (Illinois) d. Andrew Mazlin, 6-4, 6-3
No. 2 -- #94 Jason Jung (U-M) d. #68 Marc Spicijaric, 6-4, 6-4
No. 3 -- Mike Sroczynski (U-M) d. #36 Dennis Nevolo, 4-6, 6-3, 6-3
No. 4 -- Marek Czerwinski (Illinois) d. Chris Madden, 6-2, 6-3
No. 5 -- George Navas (U-M) d. Ruan Roelofse, 6-3, 6-7(2), 6-3
No. 6 -- Waylon Chin (Illinois) d. Drew Daniel, 7-6(2), 4-6, 6-4
Doubles
No. 1 -- #49 Czerwinski/Spicijaric (Illinois) d. #45 Jung/Navas, 8-5
No. 2 -- Madden/Mazlin (U-M) d. Brian Livingston/Roelofse, 8-5
No. 3 -- Peter Aarts/Sroczynski (U-M) d. Kalmanovich/Nevolo, 8-5
Order of Completion: Doubles 3-1-2, Singles 4-1-2-3-5-6
Players Mentioned
