Michigan
VCU
Young Clinches Team Win for Michigan Over VCU at Diablos College Invitational
3/1/2024 10:09:00 PM | Men's Tennis
Site: Tempe, Ariz. (Kiwanis Tennis Center)
Score: Michigan 4, VCU 3
Records: U-M (6-7), VCU (5-5)
Next U-M Event: Saturday, March 2 – vs. Arizona (Tempe, Ariz.) 5 p.m., MT/7 p.m., ET
TEMPE, ARIZ. -- The University of Michigan men's tennis team rallied for a 4-3 win over Virginia Commonwealth University on Friday (March 1) in the first match of the Diablos College Invitational. The Wolverines trailed 2-0 before winning four of the next five singles matches.
It was Bjorn Swenson winning at No. 4 that started Michigan on its way, as he defeated Tristan Piombo 6-2, 6-1. No. 108 ranked Jacob Bickersteth upended No. 98-ranked Romain Gales at No. 3 singles with matching 6-3 victories. The senior remains unbeaten at the position, improving to 6-0.
VCU took back the lead when Oscar Pinto Sansano defeated Nino Ehrenschneider 7-5, 6-3 at No. 2 singles before Nicholas Steiglehner responded. He delivered defeating Hamza El Amine 6-3, 3-6, 6-4 at No. 5.
No. 18 ranked Gavin Young clinched the match for Michigan at No. 1 singles, topping No. 73-ranked Mathis Bondaz 7-6, 4-6, 6-4. It marked Young's 14th career victory over a ranked player.
Ehrenschneider and Cairo teamed up for the first time as a doubles pair and took a 6-4 win to start doubles play. The Wolverines were pushed to the edge at both No. 1 and 2, but the Rams came out on top in tiebreakers in each.
Michigan will face the winner of the Arizona match on Saturday (March 2) at 5 p.m. MT / 7 p.m. ET.
Following are match-by-match results
Singles
No. 1 – No. 18 Gavin Young (U-M) def. No. 73 Mathis Bondaz (VUC) 7-6 (5), 4-6, 6-4
No. 2 – Oscar Pinto Sansano (VCU) def. Nino Ehrenschneider (U-M), 7-5, 6-3
No. 3 – No. 108 Jacob Bickersteth (U-M) def. No. 98 Romain Gales (VCU) 6-3, 6-3
No. 4 – Bjorn Swenson (U-M) def. Tristan Piombo (VCU) 6-2, 6-1
No. 5 – Nicholas Steiglehner (U-M) d. German Samofalov (VCU) 6-3, 3-6, 6-4Â
No. 6 – Hamza El Amine d. Alex Cairo (U-M) 6-1, 6-0
Doubles
No. 1 – Sansano/Samofalov (VCU) def. No. 30 Young/Bickersteth (U-M) 7-6 (5)
No. 2 – El Amine/Gales (VCU) def. Cooksey/Swenson (U-M) 7-6 (4)
No. 3 – Ehrenschneider/Cairo (U-M) d. Bondaz/Piombo (VCU) 6-4
Order of Completion:Â Doubles 3-2-1; Singles 6-4-3-2-5-1
Players Mentioned
