LINCOLN, Neb.—The Nebraska men’s tennis team (3-2, 0-0 Big Ten) got back into the win column after a closely contested 4-2 victory against Drake (4-4, 0-0 Summit League) on Wednesday night at the Sid and Hazel Dillon Tennis Center.
The Huskers opened up play in strong form, winning two-straight doubles sets to clinch the first point of the match. On Court 1 the duo of Nic Wiedenhorn and Shunya Maruyama continued their impressive doubles play, defeating Matija Matic and Oliver Johansson 6-3. Wiedenhorn and Maruyama are 3-1 when paired together this spring, including two straight wins.
On Court 3, the Huskers picked up the doubles point on a strong performance from Lars Johann and Roni Hietaranta. The pair defeated Drake’s Jeremy Schifris and Evan Fragistas 6-3. Nebraska’s William Gleason and Calvin Mueller were in a back-and-forth set that went unfinished, as Reid Jarvis and Matt Clegg were leading 5-4 for the Bulldogs.
Singles play was closely contested, with the Huskers winning the the necessary three matches to get the overall victory. Drake’s Markus Bolin leveled the score at one after defeating Ilarion Danilchenko on Court 6, 6-4, 6-0. The Huskers quickly answered back with No. 109 Hietaranta defeating Matic 6-4, 6-1 on Court 1 to give the Big Red the slight edge. Mueller followed up with a victory of his own on Court 5, taking down Jarvis 7-5, 6-3.
Drake was able to cut the NU lead back down to one after Johansson defeated Johann on Court 3, 7-6 (2), 6-4. With the Bulldogs attempting to come back from its two-point deficit, Gleason picked up the match-clinching point on Court 4 for the Huskers, defeating Olle Sonesson Lidholt 7-6 (5), 6-3.
Maruyama was in a close battle on Court 2, but the two teams opted to not finish the match. He was tied at one set, with Fragistas leading the third set 2-1.
The Huskers return to the Dillon Center on Sunday, Feb. 12 at 10 a.m. CT to take on UCF.
Tennis Match Results
Drake vs Nebraska
Feb 08, 2023 at Lincoln, Nebraska (Dillon Tennis Center)
Nebraska 4, Drake 2
Singles competition
1. #109 Roni Hietaranta (NEB) def. Matija Matic (DRA) 6-4, 6-1
2. Shunya Maruyama (NEB) vs. Evan Fragistas (DRA) 6-4, 5-7, 1-2, unfinished
3. Oliver Johansson (DRA) def. Lars Johann (NEB) 7-6 (7-2), 6-4
4. William Gleason (NEB) def. Olle S. Lidholt (DRA) 7-6…
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