Michigan to Return to VTC to Begin Big Ten Play

THIS WEEK
Saturday, Feb. 29 -- vs. Penn State (Varsity Tennis Center), Noon
Live Scoring/Video
Sunday, March 1 -- vs. Brown (Varsity Tennis Center), 11 a.m.
Live Scoring/Video
Sunday, March 1 -- vs. Boston University (Varsity Tennis Center), 4 p.m.
Live Scoring/Video

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When the No. 5-ranked University of Michigan men's tennis team hosts Penn State on Saturday (Feb. 29) at noon, U-M will be playing its first match at the Varsity Tennis Center in 28 days. A lot has happened since, including two straight weeks ranked in the top five and a run to the ITA National Team Indoor Championship final four. This weekend, the Wolverines will kick off Big Ten play against the Nittany Lions then will face both Brown and Boston University on Sunday (March 1) at 11 a.m. and 4 p.m., respectively.

About the Opponents

Penn State is 7-3 on the season and has enjoyed the confines of its home court the last eight meetings. The Nittany Lions' only road trip this season was to the ITA Kick-Off in January, when they opened the season with losses to Kentucky and East Tennessee State. Penn State's doubles team of Christos Antonopoulos and Christian Lakoseljac are ranked No. 46 in the latest rankings with an 8-1 record.

Brown already has matched its win total (eight) from last season, when it went 8-13. Off to an 8-3 start this season, the Bears will take on Michigan State on Saturday in East Lansing. They have recorded a 4-2 loss to William & Mary last Sunday (Feb. 23).

Boston University will head into the weekend with a 3-5 record. The Terriers will first stop off at Toledo for a Friday (Feb. 28) match before heading to Ann Arbor. BU lost, 5-0, to No. 14 Harvard this past Sunday, its lone match versus a ranked foe.

Series Histories

Michigan owns a 27-8 advantage in the all-time series with Penn State, including a 5-2 setback to the Nittany Lions last season that snapped a five-match series win streak. U-M is 3-0 against Brown all-time; their last meeting (2008) resulted in a 6-1 Wolverine win. Sunday will be the first meeting between Michigan and Boston University.

Who's Who

Ranked Singles Players
No. 17 -- Andrew Fenty, Michigan
No. 32 -- Ondrej Styler, Michigan
No. 87 -- Connor Johnston, Michigan
No. 112 --Mattias Siimar, Michigan

Ranked Doubles Teams
No. 2 -- Andrew Fenty/Mattias Siimar, Michigan
No. 46 -- Christos Antonopoulos/Christian Lakoseljac, Penn State

Wolverine Bites

• Michigan slipped from No. 4 to No. 5 in the latest (Feb. 25) ITA rankings after splitting matches last weekend at Oklahoma State (L, 4-0) and at Notre Dame (W, 4-3).
• The Wolverines are 11-3 overall and have faced six ranked teams this season, going 4-2 against them.
• Michigan jumped in the poll to No. 10 from its initial ranking of No. 17 after taking a 10-match win streak to the ITA National Team Indoor Championship semifinals.
• This is the second straight week Michigan is in the top 5; prior to the season the last time the program was in the top 5 was in 1988 (No. 3).
• Sophomore Andrew Fenty has been named the Big Ten Athlete of the Week three of the six times it has been awarded this season. Ranked No. 17 in the nation, Fenty had a seven-match win streak snapped Sunday to No. 10-ranked Richard Ciamarra (Notre Dame). Seven of his nine wins this spring have been against ranked opponents.
• No. 32 Ondrej Styler is 9-3 in dual matches, while No. 87 Connor Johnston is 8-5 and No. 112 Mattias Siimar is 7-6.
• Fenty and Mattias Siimar rank second in the nation in doubles. The pair is 10-2 at doubles and 22-4 overall, which includes a 13-match win streak.
• The Wolverines have won the doubles point in 11 of their 14 matches.