Wolverines Conclude Action at NCAA Individual Championships

Wolverines Conclude Action at NCAA Individual Championships

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

Event: NCAA Singles and Doubles Championships (Day 4 of 6)

Score: No Team Scoring

Next U-M Event: Season Complete

LAKE NONA, Fla. — Kari Miller and Jaedan Brown of the University of Michigan women’s tennis team saw their run end at the NCAA Singles and Doubles Championships on Thursday afternoon (May 25) at the USTA National Campus.

The duo dropped a heartbreaking three-set match to No. 8-ranked Reese Brantmeier and Elizabeth Scott of North Carolina in the quarterfinals of the doubles championship.

Miller and Brown broke for a 3-2 lead in the first set, converting on their second break point when UNC netted a forehand. The Wolverines held in the next game to keep the break at 4-2. Both teams held serve in their next games, with North Carolina back to serve to stay in the set at 5-3. U-M grabbed a pair of set points on their serve but could not convert as the Heels ripped off three straight games for a 6-5 lead. Michigan held on Brown’s serve to send the set to a breaker. It was tied 3-3 at the changeover before UNC won four straight points to take the 7-3 win.

UNC jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the second set before U-M worked its way back in the set. The Wolverines got the set back on serve at 3-3 when there was a little confusion between the two over who was going to take the ball, with Miller ripping a winner. After a pair of holds, U-M was broken at 5-4 to give North Carolina a chance to serve out the match.

Michigan did not go away, getting the break to stay in it and eventually force a tiebreaker for the second set. U-M was down 4-2 at the changeover but won the next two points to tie it at 4-4. The teams exchanged points and stayed on serve until U-M took a 6-5 lead. The Wolverines made good on the next point, sending the match to a 10-point breaker in lieu of a full third set.

Michigan fell behind 6-2 in the 10-point tiebreaker. A pair of return winners from Miller and Brown helped the Maize and Blue climb back in the breaker, with the latter pulling the Wolverines level at 6-6.

U-M never led in the 10-point tiebreaker, last tying it at 8-8. UNC won the final two points, the final one on a forehand that…