Texas Tech Athletics
Michigan-NCAA 2nd Round
No. 16 Michigan Outlasts No. 17 Texas Tech, 4-2
May 11, 2008 | Men's Tennis
May 11, 2008
ANN ARBOR, Mich. - In what proved to be an intense match from start to finish, the Texas Tech men's tennis team came up short to find the win they needed to push them past host No. 16 Michigan today in the second round of the NCAA Championships. Michigan (20-6) will advance to the Sweet 16 to play No. 1 Virginia in Tulsa, Okla., the first time for UM since 1988. The Red Raiders ended its impressive 2008 season run ranked No. 17 nationally with a 20-6 duals record.
The Red Raiders faced a number of setbacks early on as the match was played indoors at the prestigious Varsity Tennis Center due to rain, only the second match the Red Raiders have played indoors this season. Also, Tech was again forced to play without its No. 2 doubles and No. 6 singles standout Michael Breler due to illness.
The Wolverines began the match strong taking the doubles point right off the bat. Michigan's No. 38-ranked pair of Jason Jung and Mike Sroczynski dominated Milos Kustudija and Sinisa Markovic at No. 2, winning 8-1. Meanwhile, with the home crowd behind them UM's Chris Madden and George Navas broke Tech's Lenoir Ramos to take the 5-3 lead on court three. Tech continued to struggle to find a break at the No. 1 and 3 positions, as Ramos and Ilya Babinciuc dropped the doubles point to Madden and Navas, 8-5.
The battle for the Red Raiders continued into singles as Tech senior Babinciuc rallied after losing the first set 6-2 to UM's Sroczynski to take a 5-1 lead in the second on court four. Babinciuc couldn't quite find the final point to take the match to a third set, as Sroczynski battled back and won the next six points to give the Wolverines its first singles win. Junior Christian Rojmar was the first to put the Raiders on the scoreboard as he got a much-needed win for his team at No. 5, taking Madden in straight sets. Michigan's Navas quickly responded with a win over Kustudija on court six, but Tech's No. 2 ace Markovic stepped up big for his team again. Markovic edged UM's Jung in the first set tiebreaker, 7-5, and was able to break Jung late in the second to serve up the 6-4 win to give the Red Raiders its second point.
With the score at 3-2 in favor of Michigan, the last two matches were on courts one and three where both had moved into a third set. Senior Bojan Szumanski won the first set 7-3 in the tiebreaker, but the Wolverine senior Matko Maravic answered with a 6-3 win in the second. Meanwhile, Andrew Mazlin (UM) had the 6-3 win in the first set at No. 3, but senior Ramos (TTU) refused to give up taking the second set tiebreaker, 7-1. In the fight for a third set victory, Tech's hopes of a Sweet 16 berth were halted as Mazlin pushed past Ramos winning 6-3 to advance his team to the next round of the NCAA Championships.
"It was definitely a great college tennis match. I thought the guys handled playing indoors for only the second time this season and the Michigan home crowd really well, and I'm proud of them because they fought hard to the very end. They played well not only for me, but for our fans and the university," said head coach Tim Siegel. "Unfortunately, Michigan just played a little bit better in the end and I wish them the best of luck in Tulsa."
This was also the last match for seniors Babinciuc and Szumanski. Babinciuc ended his Red Raider campaign with a solid 26-18 singles record, placing him second in Tech's record book for single season victories with 26 behind teammate Breler. Szumanski is one of the most decorated players college tennis players to date, and will go down as Tech's all-time winningest singles and doubles player with a 90-47 career singles and 61-43 career doubles record.
"It kind of hit me after we lost that this was my last match with my team. I was disappointed with my play today, and wish I could have gotten a win in singles to help shift the momentum for my team," reflected Szumanski after the match. "I am very proud of my team and the way they fought on the court, and also the guys who cheered for us in the stands today. My team and the atmosphere the guys created is definitely what I'm going to miss the most!"
Szumanski is currently ranked No. 33 in singles and has been nationally ranked for three straight seasons, two within the ITA's top 25. He is also ranked No. 13 with Rojmar playing No. 1 doubles the past two seasons. He is a three-time All-Big 12 singles honoree, two-time All-Big 12 doubles with Rojmar, three-time Academic All-Big 12, 2005 Academic All-American, and two-time first team Academic All-District VI. Also, he is the only player in program history to have participated in the NCAA Team Championships three times.
"It has been a great experience. Every team I've gone to the NCAA Championships with was different and special in their own way. This year, I definitely felt we had what it took to take it to the next level. Getting to tournament is a good accomplishment, but to get to the Sweet 16 is really special, and I really wanted it this year not only for myself, but for the guys on the team as well."
Despite the shortfall for the Red Raiders, head coach Siegel feels losing Szumanski next season is a much bigger loss as he believes he is undoubtedly one of the premier college tennis players in the nation to come out of Texas Tech.
"Bojan has meant more to this program than anyone in history of Texas Tech," said Siegel. "He has helped bring Texas Tech tennis to another level, and I will always appreciate what he has done for his teammates, for me as a coach, and for the university."
Although he played his last match at No. 1 for his team, Szumanski will continue to compete in the 2008 NCAA Singles and Doubles Championships with teammate Rojmar in Tulsa beginning May 21.
#17 Texas Tech - 2
#16 Michigan - 4
Varsity Tennis Center
Ann Arbor, Mich.
NCAA Championships-Second Round
Doubles: 2, 3*
1. #13 Rojmar/Szumanski (TTU) vs. Maravic/Mazlin (UM); 5-3
2. #38 Jung/Sroczynski (UM) def. Kustudija/Markovic (TTU); 8-1
3. Madden/Navas (UM) def. Babinciuc/Ramos (TTU); 8-5
Singles: 4, 5, 6, 2, 3*
1. #33 Bojan Szumanski (TTU) vs. #64 Matko Maravic (UM); 7-6(3), 3-6, 2-5
2. #119 Sinisa Markovic (TTU) def. Jason Jung (UM); 7-6(5), 6-4
3. Andrew Mazlin (UM) def. Lenoir Ramos (TTU); 6-3, 6-7(1), 6-3
4. Mike Sroczynski (UM) def. Ilya Babinciuc (TTU); 6-2, 7-5
5. Christian Rojmar (TTU) def. Chris Madden (UM); 6-4, 6-3
6. George Navas (UM) def. Milos Kustudija (TTU); 6-4, 6-4
Players Mentioned
