No. 17 Badgers give No. 3 Michigan a run for its money

ANN ARBOR, Mich. – The No. 17 Wisconsin women’s tennis team (13-4) played No. 3 Michigan (12-3) in Ann Arbor earlier Saturday in a hard-fought battle. Unfortunately, the Badgers fell 5-2, but gave one of the best teams in the nation quite the challenge. 
 
The doubles point could have gone either way between the two sides, with Michigan winning the first doubles match. However, the duo of Xinyu Cai and Alina Mukhortova triumphed against No. 69 Lily Jones and Julia Fliegner, 6-4, to level the playing field. No. 65 Ava Markham and Maria Sholokhova put on an impressive showing against Jaedan Brown and Kari Miller, who are the second-best doubles team in the country. The two just barely lost, 7-6 (6).
 
Highlights from the singles matches includes No. 92 Sholokhova beating No. 47 Miller, 6-2, 4-6. 6-3, and No. 113 Xinyu Cai defeating Gala Mesochoritoiu after she retired.
 
Wisconsin stays in Michigan to face Michigan State in East Lansing at 11 a.m. (CT) on Sunday for another Big Ten match.

Saturday, March 25

Doubles against Michigan
#2 Brown/Miller (MICH) def. #65 Markham/Sholokhova (UW), 7-6 (6)
Cai/Mukhortova (UW) def. #69 Jones/Fliegner (MICH), 6-4
Cerdan/Kelly (MICH) def. Cataldi/Seah (UW), 6-1
 
Singles against Michigan
#30 Brown (MICH) def. #44 Ava Markham (UW), 7-6 (7), 6-3
#92 Maria Sholokhova (UW) def. #47 Miller (MICH), 6-2, 4-6, 6-3
#37 Fliegner (MICH) def. Alina Mukhortova (UW), 7-5, 6-4
# 63 Jones (MICH) def. Taylor Cataldi (UW), 6-2, 3-6, 6-1
#113 Xinyu Cai (UW) def. Mesochoritou (MICH), 4-6, 6-3, 1-1 (Retired)
Cerdan (MICH) def. Charmaine Seah (UW), 6-2, 6-2
 
Result: Michigan 5, Wisconsin 2
Order of Finish: Singles (6,1,3,5,4,2), Doubles (3,2,1)