Michigan Gets by Harvard, Stays Undefeated

Michigan Gets by Harvard, Stays Undefeated

Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (Varsity Tennis Center)

Score: #4 Michigan 4, #18 Harvard 3

Records: U-M (8-0), Harvard (4-2)

Next U-M Event: Friday, Feb. 10 — at NC State (Raleigh, N.C.), 5 p.m.

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — The No. 4-ranked University of Michigan men’s tennis team faced adversity losing the doubles point for the first time this season against No. 18 Harvard, but stayed resilient to claim the four points it needed in singles play. With the 4-3 win, the Wolverines stay unbeaten at 8-0 on the season.

A tested team, Harvard opened its season against six ranked opponents going 5-1 before coming to Ann Arbor this afternoon.

Harvard snapped Michigan’s seven-game doubles win streak as the Wolverines found themselves trailing heading into singles for the first time this season.

Jacob Bickersteth and Will Cooksey were not able to grab a lead on Harvard at No. 3 but had things knotted at 4-4 before Harris Walker and Alan Yim took the final two games for a 6-4 final. No. 14 Andrew Fenty and Gavin Young improved to 12-4 on the season with a 6-4 victory at No. 1 doubles. All eyes were on No. 2 as Ondrej Styler and Patrick Maloney were down 5-4 to Steven Sum and Ronan Jachuck. The Wolverines broke them in game 10 to even things up at 5-5 but the Crimson took the final two games for the 7-5 final. It marks Maloney/Styler’s first loss of the season and snaps a five-match win streak.

Young evened the team score 1-1 winning at No. 4 singles, his fourth straight win. Ranked No. 20 in singles play, Young topped Steven Sun 6-4, 6-1 and is now 14-5 on the season. On the next court over, Fenty put Michigan in the lead with a win on No. 2. The No. 6-ranked Wolverine never trailed as he topped Daniel Milavsky 6-4, 6-2 for his sixth consecutive victory and 97th career singles win.

Maloney, Bickersteth and Cooksey were all moving into their third sets after splitting while Styler rallied from a 3-1 deficit to take a 7-5 second set and force a third set at No. 1.

Maloney and Bickersteth sustained their leads in the third set to give Michigan the two points it needed for the win. Maloney won 6-2 in the third set over Ronan Jachuck after splitting 6-4, 4-6.  Bickersteth won his last two sets 6-1 and…