Michigan
San Diego
Wolverines Win 5-2 Match Against San Diego
3/3/1999 12:00:00 AM | Men's Tennis
Site: San Diego, Calif. (San Diego Tennis Center)
Score: Michigan 5, San Diego 2
Records: U-M (6-1), USD (3-4)
Next U-M Event: March 5-7 -- at Pacific Doubles Tournament (La Jolla, Calif.)
SAN DIEGO, Calif. -- The University of Michigan men's tennis team competed outdoors for the first time this season, defeating the University of San Diego by a 5-2 score at the San Diego Tennis Center today. The victory raised the Wolverines' record to 6-1, while San Diego dropped to 3-4 on the season.
The Wolverines secured the doubles point as the No. 1 and No. 3 tandems claimed victories. Junior Matt Wright (Wichita, Kan./Wichita Collegiate HS) and freshman Danny McCain (Largo, Fla./Canterbury School) posted an 8-4 victory over Ricardo Rizo and German Maldonado at the top spot. After a tough loss at the No. 2 spot, the doubles point hinged on the match at the No. 3 slot. Senior co-captain Jake Raiton (Portland, Ore./Wilson HS) and junior John Long (Ann Arbor, Mich./Huron HS) fought off one match point to claim a 9-7 victory over Sean Cooper and Ted Burchardt.
After escaping with the team point in doubles, the Wolverines had to fight back in three matches to claim the eventual 5-2 victory. San Diego gained its two points in the match with victories at the No. 1 and No. 2 spot in the singles lineup, but the Wolverines captured the final four matches.
Long fell behind from the start of his match at No. 3 singles, dropping the first set of the match and trailing by a break in the second set. Long pulled through with a win, posting a three-set victory over German Maldonado (2-6, 6-3, 6-2).
McCain took command of his match from the outset, defeating San Diego's Sean Cooper (6-4, 6-4) at the No. 4 slot. Fellow classmates Henry Beam (Kalamazoo, Mich./Loy Norrix HS) and Ben Cox (Spring Lake, Mich./Spring Lake HS) were extended to three sets before coming out on top. Beam dropped the opening set but came back to take the final two sets at No. 5 singles from San Diego's Ross Bourne (3-6, 7-6, 7-5). Cox remained unbeaten in duals (6-0), beating Steven Taylor despite falling behind 5-0 in the first set and dropping the second set (7-5, 2-6, 6-3).
The Wolverines will begin competition in the Pacific Coast Doubles Tournament on Friday (March 5). The doubles competition, which will be played in La Jolla, Calif., features three-set matches rather than the collegiate pro-set matches.
Following are match-by-match results:
Singles
No. 1 -- Ricardo Rizo (USD) d. Matt Wright, 6-4, 6-3
No. 2 -- Mathais Tangetipio (USD) d. William Farah, 7-5, 7-6
No. 3 -- John Long (U-M) d. German Maldonado, 2-6, 6-3, 6-2
No. 4 -- Danny McCain (U-M) d. Sean Cooper, 6-4, 6-4
No. 5 -- Henry Beam (U-M) d. Ross Bourne, 3-6, 7-6, 7-5
No. 6 -- Ben Cox (U-M) d. Steven Taylor, 7-5, 2-6, 6-3
Doubles
No. 1 -- McCain/Wright (U-M) d. Rizo/Maldonado, 8-4
No. 2 -- Taylor/Tangetipio (USD) d. Farah/Brad McFarlane, 8-5
No. 3 -- Long/Jake Raiton (U-M) d. Cooper/Ted Burchardt, 9-7
Players Mentioned
