The Iowa men’s tennis team split two matches in Michigan this weekend, pushing its record to 9-4 overall while opening Big Ten play 1-1.
Before losing to No. 28 Michigan (7-7, 3-0), 6-1, in Ann Arbor, Mich., on Sunday, No. 66 Iowa defeated unranked Michigan State, 5-2, on March 27 in East Lansing, Mich.
The Hawkeyes earned narrow victories in all three doubles matches against the Spartans (11-6, 0-2). The No. 3 team of Nikita Zotov and Garret Dunn overcame Michigan State’s Denis Bogatov and Clark Richardson, 8-5, ending the Spartan duo’s four-match winning streak.
Iowa also dominated singles play by winning four matches. No. 1 Marc Bruche defeated Austin Brooks (7-5, 6-3), and No. 4 Will Vasos won his third-consecutive match by beating Jason Norville (6-3, 0-6, 6-4).
Against Michigan, the Wolverines won eight of nine matches, including three in doubles.
Michigan’s two ranked doubles teams earned easy victories over the Hawkeyes. The No. 52 duo of Jason Jung and Evan King defeated Vasos and Tommy McGeorge in the No. 1 position, 8-2, and No. 46 George Navas and Mike Sroczynski bested Bruche and Tom Mroziewicz, 8-4, at No. 2.
Iowa continued to struggle in singles play against the Wolverines’ ranked players. No. 103 King beat Bruche (6-4, 6-2) in the No. 1 spot, and No. 42 Jung defeated Zotov (6-4, 6-4) at No. 2.
No. 6 Austen Kauss overcame Michigan’s Chris Cha for the Hawkeyes’ lone point. Kauss’ 4-6, 6-2, 1-0 (10-8) victory was his fifth-straight win.
“Anytime you get a split on a tough road trip, you’ve done well,” Iowa coach Steve Houghton said.
— by Seth Roberts
