Notes & Quotes: #15 Michigan 6, #19 Illinois 1
4/7/2012 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
April 7, 2012
N O T E S
• With today's win, Michigan improved to 26-11 in the all-time series against Illinois.
• Michigan has won 31 consecutive regular-season Big Ten dual matches, dating back to the 2008-09 season.
• The Wolverines are 7-1 at home this season. U-M boasts a 46-3 record at the Varsity Tennis Center under head coach Ronni Bernstein's five-year tenure at Michigan.
• Freshman Sarah Lee extended her win streak to six in a row. Lee has won 16 of her last 17 matches and owns a team-best 16-1 dual-match record.
Q U O T E S
Michigan Associate Head Coach Teryn Ashley-Fitch
On the Wolverine win ... "It was a good performance today. I think we're back on track, and playing at home always helps. The biggest thing that we were looking for from the girls today was a total team effort. They really went out and played for each other. That was great to see. Even if they weren't playing great, they kept fighting. That's really what it's all about."
On doubles play ... "We still need to keep working on it. Doubles has been our strength in the past, and I think we're getting there right now. Different teams are stepping up each time. It's exciting to imagine what will happen once we're able to click on the same day, but we're still working to get there. For the time being, we're happy to get the point."
U-M Sophomore Brooke Bolender
On her singles match ... "She's [Northwestern's Melissa Kopinski] a tough player. She takes the ball very early, so I didn't really get to control much. I was lucky to get a good start. I played a good game to break to go up 5-3 then served it out. She played better and a little looser in the second set. She definitely went for her shots the whole match, but a few more started going in. I got a little tight, but I was just hoping to clinch it out in the second to take some pressure off of the rest of the girls."
On the dual victory ... "It feels good. Last weekend was interesting to say the least, and we were fortunate to get the win at Indiana. But this one was a great win, great rebound. Illinois has won several matches in a row and hasn't been ranked this high in a long time, so they came in very confident. We had a really solid effort from everyone today."
On the competitiveness of the Big Ten ... "I think it's exciting that the Big Ten is tougher and more competitive. Last year, we won something like 15 matches in a row, and our ranking went down because we just weren't playing ranked teams. So, I think it will prepare us better for the postseason. We will be more prepared for that level of competition. It's great for us, and it's great for the conference."
Players Mentioned
