Michigan
NCAA Singles & Doubles (Day 2)
Hung and Maravic Victorious in NCAA Doubles Opener
5/25/2006 12:00:00 AM | Men's Tennis
PALO ALTO, Calif. -- Junior Brian Hung (Hong Kong, China/Sagemont Virtual School) and sophomore Matko Maravic (Zagreb, Croatia/V. Gimnazija) of the University of Michigan men's tennis team earned a 6-3, 6-4 victory over Boise State's Thomas Schoeck and Luke Shields in the opening round of the 2006 NCAA Doubles Championship on Thursday (May 25) at Stanford University's Taube Family Tennis Center.
The two teams held serve through the first four games to begin the match. Hung and Maravic found themselves down 0-40 on their own serve at 2-2, but the Wolverine tandem kept its composure and went on to hold serve and go up 3-2. Hung and Maravic were then able to break Schoeck and Shields in the next game before holding serve the rest of the way to wrap up a 6-3 win in the first set.
Schoeck and Shields earned a break early in the second set to pull ahead 3-0, but Hung and Maravic stormed back to win five straight games and take a 5-3 advantage. Schoeck and Shields withstood five match points to hold serve and narrow the gap to 5-4, but Hung and Maravic served out the match to advance to the second round.
Hung and Maravic's triumph marks Michigan's first NCAA Doubles Championship win in 20 years. Ed Filer (1985-87) and Jim Sharton (1983-86) advanced to the second round at the 1986 national tournament.
Hung and Maravic will meet Texas' Callum Beale and Miguel Reyes Varela in the round of 16 tomorrow (Friday, May 26) at 6 p.m. PDT. It will mark the second meeting between the two teams this season, with Hung and Maravic posting a 9-7 decision over the Longhorn duo during dual match competition on March 9. Should Hung and Maravic advance to the quarterfinal round, they will become Michigan's first NCAA All-Americans since 1994.
Q U O T E S
Michigan Head Coach Bruce Berque
On the play of Brian Hung and Matko Maravic ... "I was very pleased with their performance today. They played much like they have all year long, with a high level of energy, composure and discipline with their execution. Considering the pressure of playing in the NCAAs for the first time ever, and in windy conditions, they held up very well mentally."
Contact: Marc Ressler (734) 763-4423
Players Mentioned
