HOUGHTON, Mich. Michigan Tech dropped a heartbreaking
men's tennis match to Wayne State by a 5-4 count today at Gates
Tennis Center. The Huskies (4-6, 0-2 Great Lakes Intercollegiate
Athletic Conference) led 2-1 after doubles before the Warriors
(2-6, 1-0 GLIAC) won four of the six singles matches to claim the
victory.
"This was a very disappointing loss," said head coach Mike Axford.
"This was a match we certainly could have won, but we did not step
up and play the points we needed to play to win."
After splitting the first two doubles matches off the courts,
Tech's Brandon Ellefson and Anders Sandholm combined for a 9-8 (3)
victory at No. 2.
The Huskies had leads in two of the first four singles matches on
the courts but could only come away with one of those. Douglas
Yossida edged WSU's Kevin Turnbull 7-6 (5), 6-4 at No. 3. Tech's
No. 1 player Brett Girard was a point away from going up 5-3 in his
first set before the tables turned. Warriors' Bertrand Moulin came
back to win 6-4, 6-1.
Wayne was up 4-3 as the final two matches played out. Chris
Verhulst won 6-1, 6-2 at No. 6, but Tim Viola couldn't pull out his
No. 5 match (6-1, 6-3).
"After being up 2-1 after doubles, we did not play our singles at
the same level as the doubles," said Axford. "We dropped down, and
that cost us the match."
Michigan Tech will return to action with two more home matches next
weekend. The Huskies will host Ferris State Saturday (March 28) and
Grand Valley State Sunday (March 29) at 10 a.m. both days.