Michigan
Tulsa
Women's Tennis Defeats Tulsa, Qualifies to ITA National Team Indoors
1/28/2018 4:05:00 PM | Women's Tennis
» Michigan dropped the doubles point, but rallied to win four singles matches -- all in straight sets -- to beat Tulsa, 4-1. Kate Fahey, Chiara Lommer, Mira Ruder-Hook and Alex Najarian were the victors in singles competition.
» With the win, Michigan punched its ticket to the ITA National Team Indoor Championship for the ninth straight season. The event will be held Feb. 9-12 in Madison, Wisconsin.
Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (Varsity Tennis Center)
Event: ITA Kick-Off (Day 2 of 2)
Score: No. 10 Michigan 4, Tulsa 1
Records: U-M (3-0), TUL (5-2)
Next U-M Event: Saturday, Feb. 3 -- vs. Duke (Varsity Tennis Center), noon
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ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Behind stellar singles play, the No. 10-ranked University of Michigan women's tennis team rallied to defeat Tulsa, 4-1, on Sunday (Jan. 28) at the Varsity Tennis Center, advancing to the ITA National Team Indoor Championship for the ninth consecutive season.
The Wolverines found themselves in a hole after losing the doubles point on courts two and three. The team's No. 1 tandem of junior Kate Fahey and senior Alex Najarian were on the verge of tying things up, but Tulsa closed out the duo of freshman Alyvia Jones and sophomore Chiara Lommer at No. 2 to take the point.
That lead would be short-lived, as Michigan dominated in singles play; the Wolverines won all four matches in straight sets. Najarian was victorious in her return to the dual-match lineup, evening up the match with a 6-2, 6-2 win over Rouxanne Janse Van Rensburg at No. 6. Up 5-2 and receiving, Van Rensburg double-faulted on the deuce point, giving the win to Najarian.
Fahey put Michigan up 2-1 with a 6-1, 6-2 win over Ksenia Laskutova at No. 1. Minutes later, senior Mira Ruder-Hook made it 3-1 with a 6-3, 6-3 win over Vera Ploner at No. 4. Lommer clinched the match at No. 2, defeating No. 122 Martina Okalova, 6-2, 6-2. Both Jones at No. 3 and freshman Bella Lorenzini at No. 5 were winning in the second set before their matches were abandoned.
Michigan will wrap up a four-match homestand on Saturday (Feb. 3), hosting Duke at noon. Admission is free to all matches at the Varsity Tennis Center.
Following are match-by-match results
Singles
No. 1 -- No. 33 Kate Fahey (U-M) def. Ksenia Laskutova (Tulsa), 6-1, 6-2
No. 2 -- No. 74 Chiara Lommer (U-M) def. No. 122 Martina Okalova (Tulsa), 6-2, 6-2
No. 3 -- Alyvia Jones (U-M) vs. Tamara Kupkova (Tulsa), 7-6 (2), 3-0 abandoned
No. 4 -- Mira Ruder-Hook (U-M) def. Vera Ploner (Tulsa), 6-3, 6-3
No. 5 -- Bella Lorenzini (U-M) vs. Alex Chinikova (Tulsa), 6-2, 5-3 abandoned
No. 6 -- Alex Najarian (U-M) def. Rouxanne Van Rensberg (Tulsa), 6-2, 6-2
Doubles
No. 1 -- Kate Fahey/Alex Najarian (U-M) vs Ksenia Laskutova/Alex Chinikova (Tulsa), 5-3, abandoned
No. 2 -- Martina Okalova/Vera Ploner (Tulsa) def. Alyvia Jones/Chiara Lommer (U-M), 6-3
No. 3 -- Tamara Kupkova/Rouxanne Van Rensberg (Tulsa) def. Mira Ruder-Hook/Kara Hall (U-M), 6-2
Order of Completion: Doubles: 3-2; Singles: 6-1-4-2*
Players Mentioned
