U-M Defeats Broncos in Sunday Sweep

Sunday, February 18

Ann Arbor, Mich.

4:00 PM

Michigan

Western Michigan

Carter Lin

2/18/2018 7:35:00 PM | Men's Tennis

By: TJ Garske

» Alex Knight and Runhao Hua rejoined forces to clinch the doubles point with a 6-2 win.
» The Wolverines clinched the match with straight-sets wins in singles play by Mattias Siimar, Carter Lin, and Connor Johnston.
» Carter Lin improved to 5-0 in singles matches this season.

Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (Varsity Tennis Center)
Score: #13 Michigan 4, Western Michigan 0
Records: U-M (7-2), WMU (8-2)
Next U-M Event: Friday, Feb. 23 -- at Notre Dame (South Bend, Ind.), 5 p.m.

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The No. 13-ranked University of Michigan men's tennis team defeated Western Michigan, 4-0, on Sunday afternoon at the Varsity Tennis Center. The Wolverines clinched the match with straight-sets wins in singles play by Mattias Siimar, Carter Lin, and Connor Johnston.

Michigan earned the doubles point with victories at Nos. 2 and 1. Sophomore Connor Johnston and junior Gabe Tishman got the ball rolling with a 6-3 win out of the No. 2 doubles slot. After a lineup change against Memphis that split up the duo of seniors Alex Knight and Runhao Hua, the doubles pair ranked No. 9 by the ITA, teamed up again to get a 6-2 victory that secured the doubles point.

The Wolverines continued their momentum into singles play with five of the six U-M players winning their first sets. The only one who did not, senior Davis Crocker, bounced back strong and was leading 5-2 before Connor Johnston sealed the victory. The other singles victories came from Mattias Siimar and Carter Lin, who has yet to lose a singles match in dual-match play this season.

Sophomore Nick Beaty made his first singles appearance of the season, playing in the No. 6 position. Beaty split the first two sets and held a 1-0 lead in the third before the match went final.

Johnston and Mattias Siimar went a combined 7-0 in the doubleheader. Johnston followed up on his doubles win over Memphis earlier in the day with victories in doubles and singles over Western Michigan, while Mattias Siimar won his singles and doubles matches in both contests.

Michigan will travel to South Bend, Indiana, to take on Notre Dame next Friday (Feb. 23) at 5 p.m.

Following are match-by-match results:

Singles
No. 1 -- #42 Runhao Hua (U-M) vs. #91 Maik Steiner (WMU), 6-1, 2-6 (unfinished)
No. 2 -- Mattias Siimar (U-M) def. Kennosuke Nouchi (WMU), 6-1, 6-2
No. 3 -- Carter Lin (U-M) def. Lenhard Haupt (WMU), 6-3, 6-2
No. 4 -- Davis Crocker (U-M) vs. Jannik Opitz (WMU), 4-6, 5-2 (unfinished)
No. 5 -- Connor Johnston (U-M) def. Matej Svjetlicic (WMU), 6-2, 6-3
No. 6 -- Nick Beaty (U-M) vs. Eric Olvarez (WMU), 6-1, 3-6, 1-0 (unfinished)

Doubles
No. 1 -- #9 Alex Knight/Runhao Hua (U-M) vs. Maik Steiner/Lenhard Haupt (WMU), 6-2
No. 2 -- Connor Johnston/Gabe Tishman (U-M) def. Jannik Opitz/Kennosuke Nouchi (WMU), 6-3
No. 3 -- Mattias Siimar/Kristofer Siimar (U-M) vs. Nick Schnobel/Eric Olivarez (WMU), 5-4 (unfinished)