Michigan
Gonzaga
Wolverines Defeat Gonzaga Behind Trio of Singles Wins
1/27/2018 1:49:00 PM | Women's Tennis
» No. 10 Michigan won the doubles point and got singles wins from Kate Fahey, Mira Ruder-Hook and Bella Lorenzini to pick up the 4-1 win.
» Lorenzini clinched the first match of her career and picked up her sixth consecutive win.
» With the win, Michigan advances to the championship match of the ITA Kick-Off with the chance to clinch a berth to the ITA National Indoor Championship.
Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (Varsity Tennis Center)
Event: ITA Kick-Off
Score: No. 10 Michigan 4, Gonzaga 1
Records: U-M (2-0), GU (1-1)
Next U-M Event: Sunday, Jan. 28 -- vs. Tulsa - ITA Kick-Off (Varsity Tennis Center), 1 p.m.
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The No. 10-ranked University of Michigan women's tennis team won the doubles points and three of the first four matches off court in singles action to defeat Gonzaga, 4-1, in the first match of the ITA Kick-Off on Saturday (Jan. 27) at the Varsity Tennis Center.
The Wolverines jumped out to the early 1-0 lead by virtue of the doubles point. At No. 3, the senior pair of Kara Hall and Mira Ruder-Hook jumped out to a 5-0 lead before taking a 6-4 decision as the first match off court.
At the same time, U-M was up a break and one game away from winning at both No. 1 and No. 2. U-M's No. 2 duo of freshman Alyvia Jones and sophomore Chiara Lommer came away with a 6-4 win to clinch the point. The pair fell behind, 3-1, before it rallied, broke for a 5-4 lead and won on the serve of Jones in the ensuing game.
Michigan won five first sets in singles action. Junior Kate Fahey came through first with a 6-1, 6-2 win at No. 1. Fahey took advantage of early breaks in both sets to breeze to her fifth straight win.
Gonzaga got a point back moments later with a 6-2, 6-2 win at No. 5.Â
At No. 4Â with a set in hand, Ruder-Hook won the first two games of the second set and held the break throughout in a 6-2, 6-4 victory to put Michigan on the brink of the win.
Gonzaga pulled out second-set wins at No. 2 and No. 3 to send those matches to third sets and keep the team match going.
Freshman Bella Lorenzini put the match away for the Maize and Blue when she came through with a 6-4, 6-3 win at No. 6. Lorenzini came back from a 4-2 deficit in the first set, winning the final four games to grab the win. In the second set with a break in hand, Lorenzini fought off two break points to keep the break advantage for a 5-3 lead. She broke her opponent in the final game to clinch her first career match for the Maize and Blue.
Michigan will face either Tulsa in Sunday's (Jan. 28) ITA Kick-Off championship match. The match will begin at 1 p.m., with the winner advancing to the ITA National Team Indoor Championship.
Following are match-by-match results
Singles
No. 1 -- No. 33 Kate Fahey (U-M) d. Sophie Whittle (GU), 6-1, 6-2
No. 2 -- No. 74 Chiara Lommer (U-M) vs. Graciela Rosas (GU), 6-2, 4-6, 0-1 abandoned
No. 3 -- Alyvia Jones (U-M) vs. Nevada Apollo (GU), 6-0, 6-7 (2), 1-1 abandoned
No. 4 -- Mira Ruder-Hook (U-M) d. Haruna Tsuruta (GU), 6-2, 6-4
No. 5 -- Domonique Garley (GU) d. Lera Patiuk (U-M), 6-2, 6-2
No. 6 -- Bella Lorenzini (U-M) d. Kate Ketels (GU), 6-4, 6-3
Doubles
No. 1 -- Kate Fahey/Alex Najarian (U-M) vs. Sophie Whittle/Graciela Rosas (GU), 5-4 abandoned
No. 2 -- Alyvia Jones/Chiara Lommer (U-M) d. Kate Ketels/Domonique Garley (GU), 6-4
No. 3 -- Mira Ruder-Hook/Kara Hall (U-M) d. Alex Bourguignon/Haruna Tsuruta (GU), 6-4
Order of Completion: Doubles 3-2; Singles 1-5-4-6
Players Mentioned
