Men’s Tennis | May 12, 2023
The USC men’s tennis season came to a heartbreaking close earlier today as the Trojans fell 4-3 to the No. 7-ranked Michigan Wolverines in the NCAA Round of 16 on Friday, May 12 at the Varsity Tennis Center.
With the loss, USC wraps up the dual season with a 21-8 record, while Michigan (27-4) punches it’s ticket to the NCAA Quarterfinals.
The match was a nailbiter from start to finish as both teams had spurts of momentum. It was a center court third-set tiebreaker on center court that decided the match as No. 8 Ondrej Styler defeated No. 25 Stefan Dostanic 5-7, 6-3, 7-6(5). Styler had a chance to put Dostanic away as he led 5-3, but the Trojan held him off, winning two match points to tie it at 5-5. After trading breaks, the two headed into a seven-point tiebreaker. Styler jumped out to a 4-1 advantage, but Dostanic scored three straight points to make it 4-4. After trading points, Styler served up a ball that Dostanic returned out and on the proceeding point, Dostanic double faulted for the 7-5 tiebreak.
In doubles play, the Wolverines jumped ahead with the early point following wins on courts one and two. Michigan’s Patrick Maloney and Nino Ehrenschneider took a 6-1 match from No. 45-ranked Bradley Frye and Learner Tien while No. 7 ranked Andrew Fenty and Gavin Young followed with a 6-1 decision at No. 1 over Samuel Rubell and Wotjek Marek to take the opening point.
The tide turned as singles began with the Trojans winning four of six first sets. Lodewijk Weststrate was first to score for the Trojans, defeating Jacob Bickersteth 6-3, 6-2 on court six. Freshman Learner Tien followed it up with a 6-3, 6-4 victory over No. 44 Patrick Maloney. No. 20 Fenty defeated No. 39 Peter Makk next on court three with a 6-4, 6-3 decision. Ehrenschneider and Wojtek Marek had tremendous volleys in a two-set match that ended in Marek’s favor, 6-4, 7-5 as USC went back ahead 3-2.
No. 63 Gavin Young collected two break points from Frye as he took off with a 5-1 edge that finished in a 6-2 third set to set up the all-important clinching point at No. 1 singles.
Next up for the Trojans is the NCAA Singles and Doubles Championships May 22-27, with Dostanic, Makk and Frye all set to compete.
#7 Michigan 4, #10 USC 3
May 12, 2023 | NCAA Super Regional | Ann Arbor, MI
Doubles
1. #7…
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