No. 75 Spartans Fall to In-State Rivals

EAST LANSING, Mich. (WILX) - The No. 75 Michigan State men’s tennis team fought until the end, ultimately capitulating to the No. 5 Michigan Wolverines at the MSU Indoor Tennis Center 6-1 on Thursday night. The loss moves the Spartans to 6-10 (0-3 Big Ten) on the season while the Wolverines jump to 16-2 (3-0 Big Ten). The Spartans started the dual strong, pushing the doubles portion to the brim before ultimately falling to the Wolverines. Both squads would take a doubles match as Michigan’s Gavin Young and Ondrej Styler took down MSU’s Kazuki Matsuno and Josh Portnoy just before the Spartan duo of Max Sheldon and Graydon Lair earned a 6-2 decision over Michigan’s Jacob Bickersteth and Will Cooksey. In the deciding contest at No. 1 doubles, the Spartan duo of Ozan Baris and Reed Crocker fought hard but couldn’t complete the comeback, falling 4-6 as the Wolverines took the doubles point. In singles, the Wolverines jumped out to a 3-0 lead after taking wins at the No. 4 and No. 5 singles positions. Michigan’s Bickersteth took down MSU’s Lair at No. 4 singles while Portnoy dropped a narrow contest at the No. 5 position to UM’s Ehrenschneider, 4-6, 5-7. The Spartans continued to battle throughout the remainder of the singles portion with four matches headed to a decisive final set. However, the Wolverines would clinch the match at No. 3 singles as Luke Baylis could not continue the momentum from his first-set win, falling to UM’s No. 40 Young, 6-4, 2-6, 3-6. The Spartans would receive impressive performances in the final three matches with freshman David Saye earning MSU’s lone point, earning his second win of the season in comeback fashion, 2-6, 6-4, 6-4 at No. 6 singles over UM’s Patorn Hanchaikul. In the final two singles matches, the Spartans could not defeat their ranked foes as MSU’s No. 51 Baris could not hold off UM’s No. 14 Styler at No. 1 singles, while Sheldon was defeated in three sets by UM’s No. 23 Patrick Maloney at the No. 2 slot as Michigan took the dual, 6-1. Up next, the Spartans travel to Blacksburg, Virginia, to take on No. 69 Virginia Tech on Saturday, April 1. First serve against the Hokies is scheduled for noon ET.

RESULTS

DOUBLES

1. Nino Ehrenschneider/Patrick Maloney (MICH) def.

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(MSUM) 6-4 2. Gavin Young/Ondrej Styler (MICH) def.

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(MSUM) 6-23.

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(MSUM) def. Jacob Bickersteth/Will Cooksey (MICH) 6-2

Singles competition

1. #14 Ondrej Styler (MICH) def. #51

(MSUM) 6-7 (4-7), 6-1, 6-3 2. #23 Patrick Maloney (MICH) def.

(MSUM) 7-6 (7-3), 4-6, 6-2 3. #40 Gavin Young (MICH) def.

(MSUM) 4-6, 6-2, 6-34. Jacob Bickersteth (MICH) def.

(MSUM) 6-3, 6-2 5. Nino Ehrenschneider (MICH) def.

(MSUM) 6-4, 7-5 6.

(MSUM) def. Patorn Hanchaikul (MICH) 2-6, 6-4, 6-4 Order of finish: Doubles (2,3,1); Singles (4,5,3,6,1,2)

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