NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The No. 28 Michigan Wolverines outlasted the No. 40 Commodores, handing Vanderbilt another close 4-3 loss on Saturday.
While the Commodores came out strong, the Wolverines picked up speed as the match wore on, winning the last four singles matches to take the overall victory.
Gonzales Austin and Alex DiValerio teamed up to beat the #10 doubles pair in the nation with an 8-6 victory as the Dores got an early leg up on the Wolverines. Austin has been a mainstay in the No. 1 doubles position, going 7-2 in matches there despite having several different partners.
Their win clinched the doubles point, following an 8-4 win by Joe Dorn and Jeff Offerdahl in the No. 3 doubles position.
Offerdahl put the Commodores up 2-0 with his 6-4, 6-2 victory over Michael Zhu. The win extends Offerdahl’s streak to six straight matches; he has not lost a set in the past five matches. A few minutes later, Austin made it 3-0 Dores with his 7-3 tiebreaker in his second set, claiming the win over Shaun Bernstein.
No. 66 Charlie Jones forced a third set after dropping his first set against Evan King, but ultimately dropped the match to eighth-ranked King, snapping Jones’ 6-match winning streak.
King brought the Wolverines back in the match, with the Dores up 3-2 and battles being fought by Dorn and DiValerio for the outcome of the match. Barrett Franks tied the match up 3-3 for the Wolverines, outlasting Dorn in split sets.
Alex Buzzi clinched the match for the Wolverines, defeating DiValerio on court six with a 6-3, 6-2 decision to drop Vanderbilt to a 5-5 record.
The Commodores take to the road next week against Arkansas on Friday and LSU on Sunday for the first games on their conference slate.
Results:
Singles:
1. #8 Evan King (UM) def. #66 Charlie Jones (VU) 6-2, 1-6, 6-3
2. Gonzales Austin (VU) def. Shaun Bernstein (UM) 6-2, 7-6(7-3)
3. Alex Petrone (UM) def. Anton Kovrigin (VU) 7-6 (7-5), 6-4
4. Jeff Offerdahl (VU) def. Michael Zhu (UM) 6-4, 6-2
5. Barrett Franks (UM) def. Joe Dorn (VU) 4-6, 6-4, 7-5
6. Alex Buzzi (UM) def. Alex DiValerio (VU) 6-3, 6-2
Doubles:
1. Austin-DiValerio (VU) def. #10 King-Bernstein (UM) 8-6
2. Franks-Buzzi (UM) def. Jones-Kovrigin (VU) 8-5
3. Dorn-Offerdahl (VU) def. Petrone-Zhu (UM) 8-4
Match Notes:
No. 40 Vanderbilt 5-5
No. 28 Michigan 5-4
Order of Finish: Doubles (3,1,2), Singles (4,2,3,1,5,6)
