Michigan
LSU
Michigan Races Past LSU at ITA Indoors
2/7/2025 12:56:00 PM | Women's Tennis
Site: Champaign, Ill. (Atkins Tennis Center)
Score: #7 Michigan 4, #16 LSU 0
Records: U-M (5-0), LSU (5-1)
Next U-M Event: Saturday, Feb. 8 -- vs. Oklahoma/UCLA -- ITA National Team Indoor Championship Quarterfinals (Champaign, Ill.), Noon CST
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- The No. 7-ranked University of Michigan women's tennis team won the doubles point and got three straight-set singles wins to shut out No. 16-ranked LSU, 4-0, in the opening round of the ITA National Team Indoor Championship on Friday morning (Feb. 7) at the Atkins Tennis Center.
Michigan handed LSU its first two doubles losses in dual-match play, grabbing the early lead in the match with the doubles point. U-M grabbed wins at No. 2 and No. 3, with U-M's No. 1 pair holding match points when the point was clinched.
Reese Miller and Julia Fliegner, ranked No. 45 as a pair, winning 6-1 at No. 2. The Wolverine duo went up a break at 3-1. Fliegner went back to serve to consolidate the break, with the Wolverines falling in a 0-40 hole. U-M climbed back in the game and converted on the deuce point behind a Miller winner at the net. Michigan rode the momentum from there, cruising to the 6-1 win.
At the same time, LSU erased a 4-2 deficit at No. 1 while Michigan came back from a 3-0 deficit at No. 3.
Michigan's No. 3 pair of Ava Bruno and Lily Jones did the honor for Michigan, winning 7-5 to clinch the match's first point. Down 3-0, U-M ripped off three straight games to get back in the set. The match stayed on serve for several games until Michigan went up a break at 5-4 off a Jones service return winner. Jones went back to serve out the match and had a match point on the deuce point, but LSU fought it off. U-M again broke the Tigers and then was able to serve out the match in the ensuing game for the 1-0 lead.
U-M won first sets at four singles lines to take control of the match.
Miller was the first Wolverine off court, winning 6-2, 6-1 at No. 5 for her seventh straight singles victory.
Michigan picked up the pace from there, with Jessica Bernales and Jones each one game away from victory. The pair held concurrent match points, as Jones converted first in a 6-2, 6-4 win at No. 4.
Moments later, Bernales came through with a forehand winner, putting the finishing touches on the Michigan win with a 6-3, 6-2 victory at No. 6.
Michigan will face either UCLA or Oklahoma tomorrow (Saturday, Feb. 8) in the quarterfinals at noon CST.
Following are match-by-match results
Singles
No. 1 -- No. 4 Julia Fliegner (U-M) vs. Cadence Brace (LSU), 6-4, 0-6 abandoned
No. 2 -- No. 30 Piper Charney (U-M) vs. Kayla Cross (LSU), 1-6, 5-5 abandoned
No. 3 -- No. 36 Lily Jones (U-M) d. Tilwith Di Girolami (LSU), 6-2, 6-4
No. 4 -- Emily Sartz-Lunde (U-M) vs. No. 115 Anita Sahdiieva (LSU), 2-6, 3-3 abandoned
No. 5 -- No. 66 Reese Miller (U-M) d. Kinaa Graham (LSU), 6-2, 6-1
No. 6 -- Jessica Bernales (U-M) d. Gaby Rivera (LSU), 6-3, 6-2
Doubles
No. 1 -- No. 27 Piper Charney/Jessica Bernales (U-M) vs. No. 71 Cadence Brace/Kayla Cross (LSU), 6-5 abandoned
No. 2 -- No. 45 Reese Miller/Julia Fliegner (U-M) d. Anita Sahdiieva/Tilwith DiGirolami (LSU), 6-1
No. 3 -- Lily Jones/Ava Bruno (U-M) d. Kenna Erickson/Gaby Rivera (LSU), 7-5
 Order of Completion: Doubles 2-3; Singles 5-3-6
Players Mentioned
