Michigan
Michigan State
Michigan Knocks Off No. 18 MSU in Regular-Season Finale
4/20/2024 8:51:00 PM | Men's Tennis
Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (Varsity Tennis Center)
Score: Michigan 5, #18 Michigan State 2
Records: U-M (14-11, 8-1 B1G), MSU (21-5, 7-2 B1G)
Next U-M Event: Friday, April 26 – at Big Ten Tournament (Evanston, Ill.), TBA
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The University of Michigan men's tennis team upset No. 18 Michigan State 5-2 in the regular-season finale Saturday (April 20) at the Varsity Tennis Center. The win gives the Wolverines 22 consecutive wins over their in-state rival and secures the No. 2 seed in the upcoming Big Ten Tournament.
Prior to the match, Jacob Bickersteth and Nino Ehrenschneider were honored on Senior Day.
With over 700 fans in the building Michigan took the early 1-0 lead by winning the doubles point. Patorn Hanchaikul and Will Cooksey took a break point to lead 4-3 and used the momentum to a 6-4 win at No. 2, to stay unbeaten in the conference at 3-0. The No. 11 ranked pair of Max Sheldon and Ozan Baris gave Gavin Young and Jacob Bickersteth trouble late as they fought off match point three times before the No. 25 ranked Wolverines won 7-5. The No. 11 pair is the second-highest opponent the pair has beaten this season, after defeating No. 5 duo from Texas. At No. 3 doubles, Mert Oral and Bjorn Swenson had a 5-4 advantage before the match was called.
The rivals split first sets, each winning three, but four of the six matches would do into third sets.
MSU got on the board with Aristotelis Thanos defeating Bickersteth 6-4, 6-3 at No. 2 singles. On the next court over, Nicholas Steiglehner posted matching 6-4 wins over Sheldon, winning his last two games of each set when it was even at 4-4. Steiglehner helped regain the lead in the team score for the Maize & Blue, 2-1.
Cooksey rebounded from a 6-2 loss in his first set on No. 5 to win 6-2 in the second set and 6-0 win in the third set to push Michigan ahead 3-1.
Hanchaikul was leading 3-0 in his third set against Sebastian Collard when he tweaked his ankle. Collard took advantage and won the next two games.
Across the gallery, Bjorn Swenson was in a third-set tiebreaker with No. 49 Ronald Hohmann. Hohmann had a 6-3 lead but Swenson dug deep to won six straight points to win an epic 7-6 (8-6) match to keep MSU's last win in the series coming in 2004.
Back on court No. 4, Hanchaikul and Collard split two games apiece before Hanchaikul closed with his 10th dual singles match of the season and his second career win over a ranked opponent.
No. 12 Baris was able to get one more point for MSU at No. 1 winning his second and third sets over No. 18-ranked Young 1-6, 6-4, 6-3.
Michigan will head to Evanston, Ill., for the Big Ten Tournament next Friday through Sunday (April 26-28). Match time amd opponent for its first match are to be determined.
Following are match-by-match results
Singles
No. 1 – No. 12 Ozan Baris (Michigan State) d. No. 18 Gavin Young (U-M), 1-6, 6-4, 6-3
No. 2 – Aristotelis Thanos (Michigan State) d. Jacob Bickersteth (U-M) 6-4, 6-3
No. 3 – Bjorn Swenson (U-M) d. No. 49 Ronald Hohmann (Michigan State), 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (8-6)
No. 4 – Patorn Hanchaikul (U-M) d. Sebastian Collard (Michigan State), 4-6, 6-2, 6-4
No. 5 – Will Cooksey (U-M) d. David Saye (Michigan State), 2-6, 6-2, 6-0
No. 6 – Nicholas Steiglehner (U-M) d. Max Sheldon (Michigan State), 6-4, 6-4
Doubles
No. 1 – No. 25 Gavin Young/Jacob Bickersteth (U-M) d. No. 11 Max Sheldon/Ozan Baris (Michigan State), 7-5
No. 2 – Patorn Hanchaikul/Will Cooksey (U-M) d. Sebastian Collard/Taym Alazmeh (Michigan State), 6-4
No. 3 – Mert Oral/Bjorn Swenson (U-M) vs. Aristotelis Thanos/Graydon Lair (Michigan State), 5-4 abandoned
Order of Completion: Doubles 2-1, Singles 2-6-5-3-4-1
Players Mentioned
