Michigan
Northwestern
Wolverines Fall to Northwestern with Juggled Lineup
2/24/2002 12:00:00 AM | Men's Tennis
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Without the services of senior co-captain and No. 2 singles player Ben Cox (Spring Lake, Mich./Spring Lake HS) due to injury, the University of Michigan men's tennis team was unable to claim the victory against Northwestern Sunday afternoon (Feb. 24), losing 4-3 at the Varsity Tennis Center. The Wolverines (6-3, 0-2 Big Ten) lost the doubles point for the second straight day and could muster only three singles victories in the juggled lineup.
Senior Henry Beam (Kalamazoo, Mich./Loy Norrix HS) and freshman Matt Lockin (Lilburn, Ga./S.D. Independent Study), ranked 44th in doubles nationally, raised their record to 9-0 with an 8-4 victory against Joost Hol and Ryan Edelfsen at No. 2. The Wildcats evened the doubles at one match apiece with an 8-5 victory from Tom Hanus and Russell Bennett at the top spot against juniors Chris Rolf (Midland, Mich./Midland HS) and Chris Shaya (Bloomfield Hills, Mich./Saddlebrook Academy, Fla.). With the team point hanging in the balance, Northwestern's Chuck Perrin and Jackie Jenkins claimed a close 8-6 match over senior Greg Novak (Stoney Creek, Ontario/Cardinal Newman HS) and sophomore Anthony Jackson (Glendale, Wis./Nicolet HS) at No. 3.
Northwestern increased the lead to 2-0 quickly as Josh Axler posted a 6-2, 6-2 win over Shaya at No. 5. U-M trimmed the deficit as No. 53-ranked Beam won a 6-4, 7-6(5) match against Hanus at the top spot. The Wolverines needed victories in three of the four third-set matches left on the court, but could manage only two victories in splitting the six singles matches. Northwestern's Perrin won a 2-6, 6-4, 6-3 match over freshman Josef Fischer (Nuremberg, Germany/ Bradenton Academy, Fla.) at No. 6, while Jamie Sahara clinched the team victory with a 4-6, 6-3, 6-1 win against Novak at No. 4.
Michigan made the final outcome 4-3 as Lockin and Jackson won third-set tie breakers. Lockin held on for a 6-3, 3-6, 7-6(3) victory over Jenkins at the No. 3 spot, while Jackson posted a come-from-behind victory in his first career match at No. 2, battling to the final point in a 3-6, 6-4, 7-6(4) win.
The Wolverines take a week off before returning to the hardcourt at Minnesota. The Wolverines and Golden Gophers square off in conference action Friday evening, March 8, at the 98th Street Tennis Club (6:30 p.m. CST) in Minneapolis.
Following are match-by-match results:
Singles
No. 1 -- #57 Henry Beam (U-M) d. Tom Hanus, 6-4, 7-6(5)
No. 2 -- Anthony Jackson (U-M) d. Ryan Edelfsen, 3-6, 6-4, 7-6(4)
No. 3 -- Matt Lockin (U-M) d. Jackie Jenkins, 6-3, 3-6, 7-6(3)
No. 4 -- Jamie Sahara (NU) d. Greg Novak, 4-6, 6-3, 6-1
No. 5 -- Josh Axler (NU) d. Chris Shaya, 6-2, 6-2
No. 6 -- Chuck Perrin (NU) d. Josef Fischer, 2-6, 6-4, 6-3
Doubles
No. 1 -- Hanus/Russell Bennett (NU) d. Chris Shaya/Chris Rolf, 8-5
No. 2 -- #44 Beam/Lockin (U-M) d. Joost Hol/Edelfsen, 8-4
No. 3 -- Perrin/Jenkins (NU) d. Jackson/Novak, 8-6
Contact: David Ablauf (734) 763-4423
Players Mentioned
