HOUGHTON, Mich. - In comeback fashion, Michigan Tech men's tennis snapped its 22-match losing streak and defeated No. 30 ranked Davenport 4-3 at Gates Tennis Center Friday in Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference play.
The Panthers took the team doubles point with wins at No. 1 and No. 2. Then Quintan Van Wijk dropped just two games to defeat Adam Fenjiro 6-0, 6-2 at No. 1 singles and Jonathan Bulmer downed Nikolai Prosjanykov 6-3, 6-0 to give the Panthers a 3-0 advantage.
The Huskies struck back through a series of grinding three setters. Vitor Jordao came out on top of J.L. Van Antwerpen at No. 2 singles after dropping the first set 6-7 (3), 7-5, 6-3 and Eli Pinnoo took care of Joel Mast, also dropping the first set 4-6, 6-3, 6-2.
Senior Siddhesh Mahadeshwar split sets with Maxim Drinchich 6-3, 3-6, but rallied to take a tight third 6-4 to tie the match 3-3.
Andrew Freel was the last to finish and his win also came after trailing. Falling 6-3 in the first set to Daniil Khitrou, Freel took the second 6-2, then fought through a tiebreaker in the third to win 7-6 (3). Teammates watching from the sideline jumped onto the court to congratulate him.
"We finally broke our six-year streak of not winning a conference match," said head coach Kristin Yep. "They all fought so hard today and I couldn't think of a team more deserving of the result."
The last time Michigan Tech men's tennis defeated a conference foe was April 16, 2016 (Lake Superiors State).
Tech (1-8, 1-4 GLIAC) plays again at Gates Tennis Center Saturday at 2 p.m. against Purdue Northwest with two regular season matches to go. Davenport fell to 15-6, 1-4 GLIAC with the loss.
Scores
Doubles
- DU (Jonathan Bulmer/J.L. Van Antwerpen) def. MTU (Vitor Jordao/Adam Fenjiro) 6-4
- DU (Quintan van Wijk/Joel Mast) def. MTU (Eli Pinnoo/Siddhesh Mahadeshwar) 6-2
- MTU (Nikolai Prosjankyov/Andrew Freel) def. DU (Daniil Khitrou/Maxim Drinchich) 6-4
Order of Finish: 2,1,3
Singles
- DU (Quintan van Wijk) def. MTU (Adam Fenjiro) 6-0, 6-2
- MTU (Vitor Jordao) def. DU (J.L. van Antwerpen) 6-7(3), 7-5, 6-3
- DU (Jonathan Bulmer) def. MTU (Nikolai Prosjankyov) 6-3, 6-0
- MTU (Eli Pinnoo) def. DU (Joel Mast) 4-6, 6-3, 6-2
- MTU (Andrew Freel) def. DU (Daniil Khitrou) 4-6, 6-3, 7-6(3)
- MTU (Siddhesh Mahadeshwar) def. DU (Maxim Drinchich) 6-3, 3-6, 6-4
Order of Finish: 1,3,4,2,6,5
