From the start of the weekend IU men’s tennis kept its intensity going forward.
Despite battling and not being able to clinch a win in its first dual matchup of the weekend, the Hoosiers came back two days after and capitalized in singles and doubles to end the weekend with a win.
On Friday night IU lost 7-0 to No. 18 Michigan indoors. On Sunday, IU beat Michigan State 4-3 in a close-scoring matchup outdoors.
“Michigan is probably one of the best teams we have played this year,” IU Coach Jeremy Wurtzman said. “Here (against Michigan State), only second match outside in the season, that already was going to be different for us. The doubles was great.”
After coming up short in doubles play against the Wolverines, the Hoosiers played intense tennis in their first sets of the singles.
On all courts IU and Michigan battled for the first sets, despite losing the set in five out of six positions, IU’s players did not give up and continued battling in the following sets.
In the end IU was not able to capitalize in any singles position and were shut out for the second time in the season. The last time they had been shut out was against Notre Dame on the road Feb. 19.
“Michigan was a few close matches,” freshman Bennett Crane said. “Some third sets that did not go our way, myself, Antonio (Cembellin), and then one more. The score did not really show how much we competed.”
Against the Wolverines, Crane played his seventh three-set singles matchup of the season, a fact that he said he had in mind going into his matchup against the Spartans on Sunday.
In doubles, Crane and freshman Zac Brodney won at position two doubles and put the Hoosiers on the lead 1-0 going into singles play.
At that stage of the match Crane said he wanted to get off to a good start, which he did by winning the first set at position four singles 6-3.
He carried the momentum going forward into his second set and won it quickly, 6-1.
After his win, Crane said he hopes the remaining matchups of the season are played outdoors because he considers himself to be a better outdoor player.
Winning in singles for IU were senior Matthew McCoy at No. 3 and sophomore Oliver Sec at No 5.
They both won in straight, yet close, sets. McCoy capitalized 7-5, 6-3 and Sec won in the tiebreak of the second 6-2, 7-6.
After McCoy’s win, the Hoosiers secured the matchup, but with losses at Nos. 1, 2, and 6 singles the Spartans put up three points on the board and made a close final score.
Sophomore Antonio Cembellin forced a third set but was not able to come up on top in the super tiebreak that was played instead of a regular set.
Up next for IU will be No. 2 Ohio State on the road Friday.
“Obviously it is a good team,” Crane “We have the talent . . . even though it is on the road it is a winnable match for us.”
