Duke Falls at Michigan, 7-0

Sunday, February 7

Ann Arbor, Mich.

12:00 PM

Duke University

Michigan

Duke Falls at Michigan, 7-0

2/7/2016 3:36:00 PM | Men's Tennis

By: Duke Sports Information

ANN ARBOR, Mich. – In the second match of its weekend road trip, the No. 25 Duke men's tennis team fell 7-0 at No. 54 Michigan on Sunday afternoon inside the Varsity Tennis Center.

A late doubles push from the Wolverines (5-1) extended into singles, where Michigan captured all six opening sets. The Blue Devils (2-5) forced two singles matches into third sets, but could not complete the comeback.

In doubles, Michigan took the first decision on court three, where Jathan Malik and Tyler Gardiner downed junior TJ Pura and freshman Catalin Mateas, 6-2. The Wolverine pair jumped out to a 5-0 advantage before Pura and Mateas were able to break and hold to make it a 5-2 deficit. Michigan served out for the win, dropping Pura and Mateas to 3-4, all in dual matches.

The Wolverines clinched the doubles point with a late rally on court one as Alex Knight and Runhao Hua topped sophomore Nicolas Alvarez and freshman Vincent Lin, 6-4. The two sides were even at 2-2 as Duke took a 3-2 lead on serve and pushed the advantage to 4-2 with a break. Michigan answered right back with a break and hold to even at the set at 4-4. The Wolverines solved the Duke service game again to break and then held to end the set. Alvarez and Lin dip to 4-3 this season, all in the No. 1 doubles spot.

The third doubles match, on court three, was halted once Michigan clinched the point. Senior Josh Levine and freshman Ryan Dickerson had just taken a 6-5 lead with a break against Gabe Tishman and Kevin Wong. Levine and Dickerson led 2-0 before Tishman and Wong answered to even the set at 2-2. From there, the two were even at 3-3, 4-4 and 5-5 before Duke broke to take the late advantage.

Michigan continued the momentum in singles and did not drop a first set. The Wolverines earned their second point to go up 2-0 on court six, where Wong defeated Dickerson, 6-2, 6-2. Dickerson fell into a 3-0 hole in the opening set before rallying to close the gap to 4-2. Wong then took the next two games for the set. In the second set, Wong turned a 2-1 lead into a 4-1 advantage and closed out for the match. Dickerson is now 3-6 overall and 1-1 in dual matches, both on court six.

The Wolverines registered the third point with a 6-2, 6-4 victory by Malik against No. 12 Alvarez on court one. The first set had Alvarez fall from a 1-1 tie into a 3-1 deficit. Alvarez kept the deficit at two games at 4-2, but Malik won the next two to take the set. In the second set, the two were even at 2-2 before Malik went on a two game run to go up 4-2. Alvarez answered with the same spurt and evened the action at 4-4. Malik held on his serve and then broke Alvarez to end the match. Alvarez slips to 7-8 overall and 3-4 in dual matches.

Knight tallied the clinching point for the Wolverines on court two as he defeated Mateas, 6-4, 6-2. Knight dropped the opening game and then went on a three game run to lead 3-1. Mateas was not able to get closer than a game the rest of the way, trailing 3-2 and 4-3. Knight held to go up 5-3 and broke Mateas to end the set. The second set had Mateas lead 1-0 and 2-1, but Knight went on a five game rally to end the match. Mateas suffered just his second loss of the year and falls to 5-2, all in dual matches.

Michigan posted its fifth point with a 6-3, 6-4 victory by Hua against No. 102 Pura on court four. Hua led 5-0 in the opening set before Pura ran off three consecutive games to close the gap to 5-3, but Hua ended the set on the next game. The two were even at 1-1 and 2-2 in the second set before Pura inched out to a 4-3 advantage. Hua answered by winning three straight games to end the match. Pura dips to 6-9 this year.

Duke forced deciding third sets on courts three and five, but could not pull out the points. Carter Lin secured the Wolverines' sixth point with a 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 win against Levine. The first set had neither side lead by more than a game until Lin turned a 4-4 tie into the set win with a hold and break. The second set had Levine go on the late run. With the two even at 2-2, Levine inched out to a one game lead at 4-3 before tucking away the set. The third set had the two even at 1-1, 2-2, 3-3 and 4-4 before Lin held and broke to end the match. Levine falls to 10-8 overall and 3-4 in dual matches.

On court three, Davis Crocker downed Lin 6-3, 2-6, 7-6 (4). In the opening set, the two were on serve through the first seven games with Crocker up 4-3. Crocker then won the last two with a break and hold to take the set. In the second set, Lin pulled ahead 3-1 and 4-2 before winning 6-2. The third set had Lin again start strong, going up 2-1 and then 3-1. Crocker had the answer, claiming two games to knot the action. The two were even at 4-4, 5-5 and 6-6 and headed to the tiebreaker. In the tiebreaker, Lin led 3-0 before six consecutive Crocker points gave him a 6-3 lead. Lin got a point back for a 6-4 deficit, but Crocker took the next point for the match. Lin falls to 11-10 overall and 3-4 in dual matches.

Duke continues action at 12 noon Saturday with match at No. 27 Vanderbilt.

#54 Michigan 7, #25 Duke 0
Feb. 7, 2016 at Ann Arbor, Mich. (Varsity Tennis Center)

Doubles competition
1. Alex Knight/Runhao Hua (UMICH) def. Nicolas Alvarez/Vincent Lin (DU) 6-4
2. Gabe Tishman/Kevin Wong (UMICH) vs. Ryan Dickerson/Josh Levine (DU) 5-6, unfinished
3. Jathan Malik/Tyler Gardiner (UMICH) def. Catalin Mateas/TJ Pura (DU) 6-2

Singles competition
1. Jathan Malik (UMICH) def. #12 Nicolas Alvarez (DU) 6-2, 6-4
2. Alex Knight (UMICH) def. Catalin Mateas (DU) 6-4, 6-2
3. Davis Crocker (UMICH) def. Vincent Lin (DU) 6-3, 2-6, 7-6 (7-4)
4. Runhao Hua (UMICH) def. #102 TJ Pura (DU) 6-3, 6-4
5. Carter Lin (UMICH) def. Josh Levine (DU) 6-4, 4-6, 6-4
6. Kevin Wong (UMICH) def. Ryan Dickerson (DU) 6-2, 6-2

Match Notes:
Duke 2-5; National ranking #25
Michigan 5-1; National ranking #54
Order of finish: Doubles (3,1); Singles (6,1,2,4,5,3)

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