Michigan Falls to Visiting No. 15 Illinois

Sunday, April 7

Ann Arbor, Mich.

Noon

Michigan

Illinois

Gabe Tishman

4/7/2019 3:55:00 PM | Men's Tennis

By: TJ Garske

» Patrick Maloney earned his fourth win in a row and 13th of the season.
» Myles Schalet won his third straight singles match and ninth of the season.
» Michigan will have its final regular-season homestand next weekend when it hosts Minnesota and Wisconsin (April 13-14).

Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (Varsity Tennis Center)
Result: #15 Illinois 4, #20 Michigan 2
Records: U-M (13-6, 4-3 B1G), Illinois (13-6, 7-0 B1G)
Next U-M Event: Saturday, April 13 -- vs. Minnesota (Varsity Tennis Center), noon

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The No. 20-ranked University of Michigan men's tennis team dropped the doubles point and won two singles matches in a 4-2 loss to No. 15 Illinois on Sunday (April 7) at the Varsity Tennis Center.

Doubles play was tightly contested with multiple lead changes throughout. U-M held leads at No. 2 and 3, but the Illini battled back after being down 3-2 to earn a 6-4 win at the two spot. The Wolverines looked to be in control at No. 3, leading 5-4, but Illinois battled back to take a 6-5 lead. At No. 1, Illinois clinched the doubles point with a 6-3 win.

Michigan jumped out of the gate in singles play taking five out of six first sets. Patrick Maloney evened the score at one apiece with a straight-sets, 6-3, 6-2 victory at No. 5. The Illini battled back to take Nos. 1 and 3 in third sets before Myles Schalet clinched the third spot with a 7-5 tiebreaker win in the second set to cut the deficit to 3-2.

After dropping his first set, 2-6, Connor Johnston battled back with a 6-1 second-set win before falling short in the third set, 7-5, which clinched the match for Illinois.

Michigan will return to the Varsity Tennis Center next weekend to host Minnesota on Saturday (April 13) and Wisconsin next Sunday, April 14. Prior to Sunday's match seniors Schalet and Gabe Tishman will be honored. Both weekend matches will begin at noon.

Singles
No. 1 -- No. 9 Aleks Kovacevic (Illinois) d. No. 55 Mattias Siimar (U-M), 4-6, 6-2, 6-1
No. 2 -- No. 98 Andrew Fenty (U-M) vs. No. 42 Alex Brown (Illinois), 4-6, 7-6 (6), 2-1 abandoned
No. 3 -- Myles Schalet (U-M) d. Zeke Clark (Illinois), 7-5, 7-6 (5)
No. 4 -- Keenan Mayo (Illinois) d. Connor Johnston (U-M), 6-2, 1-6, 7-5
No. 5 -- Patrick Maloney (U-M) d. Gui Gomes (Illinois), 6-3, 6-2
No. 6 -- Noe Khlif (Illinois) d. Gabe Tishman (U-M), 1-6, 6-3, 6-2

Doubles
No. 1 -- Alex Brown/Aleks Kovacevic (Illinois) d. Harrison Brown/Mattias Siimar (U-M), 6-3
No. 2 -- Vuk Budic/Gomes (Illinois) d. Andrew Fenty/Myles Schalet (U-M), 6-4
No. 3 -- Connor Johnston/Gabe Tishman (U-M) vs. Keenan Mayo/Noe Khlif (Illinois), 5-6 abandoned