Wolverines Advance to NCAA Championships Quarters in Singles and Doubles

Wolverines Advance to NCAA Championships Quarters in Singles and Doubles

Site: Lake Nona, Fla. (USTA National Campus)

Event: NCAA Singles and Doubles Championships (Day 3 of 6)

Score: No Team Scoring

Next U-M Event: Thursday, May 25 — at NCAA Singles and Doubles Championships (Lake Nona, Fla.), TBA

LAKE NONA, Fla. — For the first time in program history, the University of Michigan women’s tennis team has quarterfinalists in both the NCAA Singles and Doubles Championships, with Kari Miller winning her singles match and teaming up with Jaedan Brown for a doubles win on Wednesday (May 24) at the USTA National Campus.

Miller advanced to the quarterfinals by dispatching of No. 32-ranked Ariana Arseneault of Auburn in straight sets. She is the third Wolverine in program history to reach the quarterfinals, joining Wolverine legends Kate Fahey and Brienne Minor. Fahey and Minor each made quarterfinal appearances in 2017.

Miller took a 3-1 lead in the first set, breaking Arseneault when she came in and put a volley in the net. Miller fought off a pair of break points in the ensuing game to consolidate the break for a 4-1 lead. The Wolverine won the next two games, wrapping up a 6-1 first-set win.

In the second, Miller broke at love to start but was broken right back to tie the set at 1-1. Miller again broke at love for a 2-1 lead and held in the next game for a 3-1 lead. At 30-30 in that service game, she ran down a lob to force a volley wide for a pair of game points. She converted the next point for the 3-1 lead.

It was all Miller from there as she dropped just one more game and converted on her second match point, countering Arseneault’s drop shot with one of her own to get the win.

In doubles action, Brown and Miller jumped out to a 4-1 lead before San Diego won two straight to get back on serve at 4-3. Rain started to fall during the changeover, causing a delay around 4:35 p.m. The match resumed at 5:23 p.m. indoors with Michigan up 4-3.

Miller made good on a lob winner to get to 30-30 in the ensuing game, with a Brown scramble at the net proving successful for two break points. San Diego fought one off but netted a backhand on the deuce point, giving Michigan a 5-3 lead with Miller back to serve for the set. San…