Wolverines Shut Out Maryland, Reach B1G Semifinals

Wolverines Shut Out Maryland, Reach B1G Semifinals

Site: West Lafayette, Ind. (Schwartz Tennis Center)

Score: #5 Michigan 4, Maryland 0

Records: U-M (20-3), UMD (17-10)

Next U-M Event: Saturday, April 29 — vs. Wisconsin – Big Ten Tournament semifinals (West Lafayette, Ind.), 10 a.m.

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — The No. 5-ranked University of Michigan women’s tennis team recorded its second straight 20-win season, shutting out Maryland, 4-0, in the quarterfinals of the Big Ten Tournament on Friday morning at the Schwartz Tennis Center. Michigan has advanced to the semifinals of the Big Ten Tournament and will face Wisconsin tomorrow (Saturday, April 29) at 10 a.m.

Michigan struck quickly, winning the doubles point in just 30 minutes of action.

U-M’s No. 3 duo of Kari Miller and Merri Kelly wasted little time, getting a break to start and riding the momentum from there in a 6-0 victory as the first match to finish.

Jaedan Brown and Andrea Cerdan clinched the point for the Maize and Blue behind a 6-2 victory at the top spot. Much like Michigan’s No. 3 pair, Brown and Cerdan took control early with a break in the first game. U-M led 4-1 before Maryland got one of the breaks back at 4-2. It was all Michigan from there as the Wolverines won the next two games, cashing in on its first match point to give U-M the 1-0 lead.

Michigan took all six first sets as Kelly won the final two games of her first set at No. 6.

Julia Fliegner pushed Michigan’s lead to 2-0 behind a 6-1, 6-2 win at No. 3. She raced out to a fast start in the first set and did not look back in the win. Fliegner dropped the first game of the second set but rallied from there, winning six of the next seven games to wrap up the straight-set win.

Miller accounted for Michigan’s third point, winning 6-3, 6-2 at No. 2. She followed the same recipe in both sets, taking an early break and keeping it throughout in each. She made good on her second match point, putting U-M on the brink of the team win.

Cerdan put the deciding point up for Michigan, becoming the 25th Wolverine in school history to record 75 singles wins in a career behind a 6-3, 6-3 victory at No. 5. She got the break she needed at 3-2 in the first set, winning three of the next four games to take…