Michigan
Purdue
A Perfect 10: Michigan Outlasts Purdue
4/5/2008 12:00:00 AM | Men's Tennis
Site: West Lafayette, Ind. (Schwartz Tennis Center)
Score: #14 Michigan 4, Purdue 3
Records: U-M (16-2, 7-0 Big Ten), Purdue (8-9, 2-3 Big Ten)
Next U-M Match: Sunday, April 6 -- at #17 Illinois (Champaign, Ill.), Noon CDT
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. -- The No. 14-ranked University of Michigan men's tennis team extended its winning streak to 10 matches with a 4-3 comeback victory over No. 74-ranked Purdue Saturday afternoon (April 5) at the Schwartz Tennis Center. The Wolverines dropped the doubles point for just the fourth time this year but rebounded to claim four straight-set singles wins to clinch their fourth straight victory over the Boilermakers (8-9, 2-3 Big Ten) and remain atop the Big Ten Conference standings at 7-0. Standing at 16-2 overall, U-M is putting together its best season since a 28-3 campaign in 1987.
Michigan's No. 34-ranked doubles tandem of senior Matko Maravic(Zagreb, Croatia/V. Gimanazija) and sophomore George Navas(Tampa, Fla./Tampa Preparatory School) posted an 8-3 triumph over Slavko Bijelica and Griffin Nienberg at No. 1 to give the Wolverines the early edge, but Purdue responded with wins at Nos. 2 and 3 to take a 1-0 lead heading into singles play.
Junior Andrew Mazlin(Altamonte Springs, Fla./Lyman HS) and sophomore Mike Sroczynski(Chatham, N.J./Laurel Springs School) quickly closed out their respective singles opponents to vault U-M into a 2-1 lead. Mazlin handily defeated Eric Ramos by a 6-3, 6-1 score at No. 4 to push his team-best winning streak to 10 matches. Sroczynski got back on a winning track with a commanding 6-2, 6-2 decision over Nienberg at No. 3. Sroczynski has been victorious in five of seven outings at the third position this season.
Navas followed suit, earning a 6-4, 6-2 triumph over Eren Turkmenler at No. 6 to put Michigan in front 3-1. Navas carries a six-match winning streak and has not dropped a set since March 1. He has won eight of 11 in dual-match play and remains undefeated in the Big Ten at 4-0.
The Boilermakers stayed in contention with a three-set win at No. 5, but Maravic wrapped up the team victory with a 7-6(6), 6-1 decision over Bijelica at No. 1. Maravic, ranked 52nd nationally, has won 21 of 28 overall in 2007-08.
The Wolverines return to action on Sunday (April 6) when they face No. 17-ranked Illinois in Champaign, Ill. The match is scheduled for a noon CDT start at the Atkins Tennis Center.
Following are match-by-match results:
Singles
No. 1 -- #52 Matko Maravic (U-M) d. Slavko Bijelica, 7-6(6), 6-1
No. 2 -- Patrick Rose (Purdue) d. Jason Jung, 3-6, 7-5, 1-0(6)
No. 3 -- Mike Sroczynski (U-M) d. Griffin Nienberg, 6-2, 6-2
No. 4 -- Andrew Mazlin (U-M) d. Eric Ramos, 6-3, 6-1
No. 5 -- Paul Foley (Purdue) d. Peter Aarts, 4-6, 6-2, 6-2
No. 6 -- George Navas (U-M) d. Eren Turkmenler, 6-4, 6-2
Doubles
No. 1 -- #34 Maravic/Navas (U-M) d. Bijelica/Nienberg, 8-3
No. 2 -- Ramos/Rose (Purdue) d. Aarts/Sroczynski, 8-4
No. 3 -- Foley/Jose Fuenmayor (Purdue) d. Mike DePietro/Mazlin, 8-3
Order of Completion: Doubles 1-2-3, Singles 4-3-6-5-1-2
Contact: Marc Ressler (734) 763-4423
Players Mentioned
