Michigan
Utah
Wolverines Shut Out Utah in ITA Kickoff
1/26/2024 12:36:00 PM | Women's Tennis
Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (Varsity Tennis Center)
Event: ITA Kickoff (Day 1 of 2)
Score: #5 Michigan 4, Utah 0
Records: U-M (2-1), Utah (3-1)
Next U-M Event: Saturday, Jan. 27 -- vs. Arkansas/Purdue -- ITA Kickoff, Day 2 (Varsity Tennis Center), 3:30 p.m.
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The No. 5-ranked University of Michigan women's tennis team won the doubles point and the first three singles matches off court to shut out Utah 4-0 on Friday (Jan. 26) in the first round of the ITA Kickoff at the Varsity Tennis Center.
U-M grabbed the early momentum by virtue of the doubles point, winning a pair of 6-0 matches for the early 1-0 lead. Michigan's freshman duo of Piper Charney and Reese Miller were the first off court, converting their third match point at No. 3 in a 6-0 win.
The No. 2 duo of Anna Ross and Lily Jones quickly followed with a 6-0 win of their own, staking Michigan a 1-0 team lead.
Michigan won all six first sets in singles action to keep Utah at bay. Charney pushed Michigan's lead to 2-0 behind a 6-0, 6-1 win at No. 5. She had her drop shot working in the match and cashed in on match point on the deuce point for her second dual-match win of the season.
Jones wasted little time putting the third point on the board with a 6-1, 6-1 victory at No. 6. After coasting to the first-set win, Jones got the break she needed at 3-1 and did not drop another game to pick up her first dual-match win of the season.
Gala Mesochoritou accounted for the deciding point for the second straight match, pulling out a 6-2, 6-3 win at No. 3. In the second set, she took advantage of a late break for a 5-3 lead. She had a pair of match points on her serve in the ensuing game, winning on the second when Utah's passing shot sailed long.
Michigan will face the winner of today's Arkansas vs. Purdue match in the championship match of the ITA Kickoff Saturday (Jan. 27) at 3:30 p.m. with a berth to the ITA National Team Indoor Championship on the line.
Following are match-by-match results
Singles
No. 1 -- No. 10 Kari Miller (U-M) vs. Marcela Lopez (Utah), 7-5, 4-3 abandoned
No. 2 -- No. 39 Julia Fliegner (U-M) vs. Kaila Barksdale (Utah), 6-1, 5-5 abandoned
No. 3 -- No. 82 Gala Mesochoritou (U-M) d. Yuhan Liu (Utah), 6-2, 6-3
No. 4 -- Jaedan Brown (U-M) vs. Emma Kamper (Utah), 6-1, 6-6 abandoned
No. 5 -- Piper Charney (U-M) d. Katherine Lyman (Utah), 6-0, 6-1
No. 6 -- No. 47 Lily Jones (U-M) d. Ana Cruz (Utah), 6-1, 6-1
Doubles
No. 1 -- No. 8 Jaedan Brown/Kari Miller (U-M) vs. Marcela Lopez/Ana Cruz (Utah), 5-2 abandoned
No. 2 -- Anna Ross/Lily Jones (U-M) d. Sara Akid/Katherine Lyman (Utah), 6-0
No. 3 -- Reese Miller/Piper Charney (U-M) d. Emma Kamper/Kaila Barksdale (Utah), 6-0
Order of Completion: Doubles 3-2, Singles 5-6-3
Players Mentioned
