On Friday, a glimpse of hope shone through for the No. 7 Michigan men’s tennis team after it captured the doubles point. But all efforts were quickly dimmed by No. 2 TCU’s dominance on the singles courts. With three different courts going to tiebreaker rounds in the first set, and the Wolverines subsequently losing all of them, a comeback was an insurmountable task for Michigan to pull out the miraculous victory to continue in the NCAA Tournament. 

Not only does this loss mean the departure from the tournament, but, arguably worse for the Wolverines, the end of fifth-year Andrew Fenty, fifth-year Patrick Maloney and senior Ondrej Styler’s careers. All three were selected for the NCAA Individual Tournament, which gives a small insight into the production they gave to Michigan this year. With their departures comes the cost of irreplaceable skill and leadership.

“On paper we’re going to be lacking some talent,” sophomore Gavin Young said. “I think it’s really going to come down to how gritty of a team we are and how deep we dig down. This team next year is going to have the same amount of heart and the same amount of belief. And with that belief and grit we can really make a run.”

Transposing that belief and grit to the Wolverines is Young who is stepping into a leadership role in the youth-filled team — and for good reason. The 6-foot-4 Apple Valley, Minnesota, native has a very deep skill set that has developed over his last two years with Michigan. He’s the other half of the doubles duo with Fenty selected in the NCAA Individual Tournament and is an alternate for the singles. Boasting a 22-12 singles record and 27-8 doubles record this season, it’s clear that he is a great candidate to lead this program back to another NCAA tournament.

Along with established veterans of the program — junior Nino Ehrenschneider, sophomore Will Cooksey and junior Jacob Bickersteth — Young is ready to overcome the deficit left by the departing stars of the program. 

Even with the returning members of the team, there will be quite a challenge for the new generation of leaders. The combination of motivated youth along with leaders ready to take control is a great sign for the team, but isn’t going to come without hard work.

Young still has good reason to be excited about next year’s team. Freshman Bjorn Swenson, freshman Mert Oral and freshman Nicholas Steiglehner were all high school stars, and are ready to make a name for themselves on the big stage. With a couple more incoming recruits, Michigan is poised to make another deep run in both the Big Ten and NCAA Tournaments. 

“It’s going to be a great opportunity for some of the young guys to step up and show what they have,” Young said. “It’s going to be really cool to see what some of these younger guys can do. … We’ll be back for sure.”

With Young’s leadership and a willing and ready roster, the Wolverines have a very exciting future ahead of them. Whether it’s the older established leaders of the team or the newcomers with everything still to prove, Michigan has all the right tools to return to the high caliber of tennis it played this year. And, with the right combination of talent and hard work, the Wolverines could take another shot at it all.

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After a hard-fought match against Southern California, the No. 7 Michigan men’s tennis team made its way to Lake Nona, Florida to continue its quest for a national title in the NCAA quarterfinals.

However, the Wolverines (27-5) season ended after falling to No. 2 TCU (26-2), 4-1. The Horned Frogs got the better of Michigan, as the latter failed to win meaningful points and capitalize on its early advantages.

The Wolverines started off strong in doubles, as senior Ondrej Styler and junior Jacob Bickersteth broke early en route to a 6-2 victory over TCU’s Lui Maxted and Sander Jong.

The remaining two doubles matches went to tiebreakers, where senior Patrick Maloney and junior Nino Ehrenschneider persevered against the Horned Frogs’ Sebastian Gorzny and Pedro Vives, 7-6 (5).

With this win, Michigan captured the doubles point, and took an early advantage. And similar to  the majority of the season, the Wolverines hoped to increase their lead.

“Doubles was great,” Michigan coach Adam Steinberg said. “We had great energy and we played well. I was so happy to see that in our doubles. We didn’t lose the doubles point in the NCAA tournament, (and) the guys deserve a lot of credit for that.”

However, singles turned the tide for the rest of the match. Many matches, though, were deadlocked early on.

One such match was between Jong and Ehrenschneider, which went to a first set tiebreaker. There, Jong got out to an early lead, and eventually won the set. And from there, he beamed through the second set, winning the match, 7-6 (4), 6-1.

Maloney was also stride for stride in a tough battle, as he and TCU’s Luc Fomba couldn’t break each other for the majority of the first set. Then, Fomba finally broke Maloney’s serve, winning the first set. Afterwards Fomba cruised, winning the second set and defeating Maloney, 7-5, 6-3.

Fifth-year Andrew Fenty faced similar challenges to Ehrenschneider, as he fell in a first-set tiebreaker. From there, his opponent made quick-work in the second set, winning the match, 7-6 (4), 6-1. 

“That first set was very tough,” Young said. “It would’ve been really nice to get that first set under my belt… (and) it could have gone either way. I think that if I was able to somehow pull out that first set it would’ve been a different outcome. Credit to those guys, they came out with a lot of heart and were ready to fight.” 

With Young’s defeat, the Horned Frogs picked up four straight singles match victories, taking care of a Wolverine team that couldn’t attain the most important points at the right moments.

In three separate singles matches, Michigan failed to claim a first-set tiebreak win, and lost momentum going forward. In the blazing Florida heat, TCU outworked the Wolverines as the latter struggled.

“Obviously, we’re extremely disappointed,” Steinberg said. “Our goals are to win a national championship but I also told the guys that there’s so much to be proud of.”

With the season over, Michigan now can look back at its efforts. Throughout the year, the Wolverines dominated their opponents and proved to be a threat for a National Championship. However, with an offseason to prepare ahead, their goal will remain unchanged as they chase the elusive title.

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As time went by with Georgia winning game after game, the Michigan women’s tennis team kept fighting. And after multiple set tiebreaker losses after another, the Wolverines attempted to make up lost ground. And for a second, there was a glimmer of hope.

However, on the way to making its comeback against the Bulldogs, the match was already over. 

For only the second time, No. 5 Michigan (25-4) traveled to compete in the NCAA Quarterfinals at the USTA National Campus in Lake Nona, Florida, tasked with competing against No. 3 Georgia (25-4), but ultimately fell, 4-0, ending its season. 

Despite conceding a shutout to the Bulldogs, the score alone doesn’t reveal the intricacies of each individual match and the competitiveness from both sides of the court that led to multiple set tiebreakers. 

The match started with doubles play, in which junior Jaedan Brown and senior Andrea Cerdan picked up the only win for the Wolverines, winning the set 6-4. Juniors Kari Miller and Merri Kelly fell to the Georgia double of Meg Kowalski and Lea Ma, who won 6-1. On court two, the consistent pair of sophomore Julia Fliegner and freshman Lily Jones dominated the opening of the match, 4-1, but lost their momentum, leading to a 6-6 tie and a 7-4 tiebreak loss. 

Despite a hard fought battle, the Bulldogs fought harder. 

“We lost a tough doubles point that we probably should’ve won,” Michigan coach Ronni Bernstein said. “We were up at two doubles and gave that away.” 

With Georgia clinching the doubles point, the Wolverines were forced to work harder to catch up in singles. Court by court, Michigan’s journey towards a win became increasingly difficult. Miller lost the first set 6-0, Cerdan lost 6-3, and Brown lost 7-5 due to Bulldog Dasha Vidmanova overcoming a 4-1 deficit. Despite Brown’s ability to control the court, she lost her momentum in the back half of the first set. 

On the additional three courts, the score of set one was determined by a tiebreaker game. 

And on all three courts, the Wolverines lost the tiebreaker. Georgia won all six first sets. 

“We haven’t lost (all six first sets) all year,” Bernstein said. “We had chances and we just couldn’t pull out any close sets. You lose the doubles point and six first sets and (the match) could be over pretty quickly.”

The match did not end quickly, though, as Michigan persisted until the Bulldog’s fourth and final point. 

Going back and forth in the second set, the Bulldogs found a crack in Michigan’s gameplay, emblematic of the entire match. Cerdan went into the set strong, winning four out of the first five games. But she cracked under the pressure,unable to win a single game while falling to Georgia’s Anastasiia Lopata, 6-4. 

Fleigner had a difficult second set, from being up 2-0 to ultimately losing 6-3. Bulldog Mell Reasco, stable and consistent on the court, forced Fliegner to run around and become worn out.

The final point for the Bulldogs came in Jones’ match, with a second set that almost mirrored Cerdan’s. From winning 4-1 to losing 7-5, Jones couldn’t close the set to force a third.

“(Jones) (got) up in the second set, and if she (could) turn that match, the whole match (would have been) different,” Bernstein said. “When you’re up like that, you have to keep doing what you’re doing, and we got a little tight and then it was close and (Georgia) pulled it out.”

Three matches were abandoned due to Georgia’s dominant win. However, the three singles had the strongest showings from the Wolverines. Despite a difficult first set, Miller came back to win the second set 7-5, overcoming a 4-2 deficit. Additionally, Brown came back strong in her second set, relinquishing only one game to Vidmanova. Finally, junior Gala Mesochoritou endured a back and forth match in its entirety. While it was looking as though she would clinch the second set, Jones’ lost, and the entire match was completed. 

“We played a very good Georgia team tough today,” Bernstein said. “Right now it hurts, but I think when we look back … a lot to be proud of.” 

Close sets were the downfall for Michigan in the Quarterfinals. Among multiple sets, the winner was determined by tiebreakers. Despite a blowout score, it is undeniable that the Wolverines have the talent to advance. They just need to focus on closing sets and getting a win in their pockets to ultimately make the difference in the future. 

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Early in the match, miscommunications and crucial errors plagued the No. 5 Michigan women’s tennis team. As junior Jaedan Brown and senior Andrea Cerdan fell, 6-1, to their opponents and freshman Lily Jones and sophomore Julia Fliegner also fell victim to their own mistakes, No. 12 Virginia came out with the doubles point. Brown, though, had no intention of allowing those struggles to continue into her singles game.

This season, the Wolverines relied heavily on the doubles point for their success. But on Saturday against the Cavaliers — Virginia took the doubles matches in an emphatic fashion. Following the disappointing doubles, Brown looked to step up for Michigan.

“I tried to put doubles to the side and focus on singles, because you can’t change the past,” Brown said. “I just told myself in the break ‘stay up on the court and be aggressive.’ ”

However, the past nearly repeated itself for Brown, finding herself down 4-1 against the Cavaliers’ Natasha Subhash. Whether it was pushing deep shots to punish Brown’s net presence or well placed line shots far out of reach, all of Brown’s weaknesses were put on full display. 

Even with a full home crowd behind her and supporting her every point, Brown struggled to maintain a rhythm and develop any offense against a very technically solid opponent. 

“Once I got down like that I was actually more relaxed,” Brown said. “There’s nothing to lose at that point. It’s easy to take a step back and re-evaluate when you’re in that spot.”

The mental re-evaluation proved to be the difference maker in the first set. After seeing Subhash slice shots in an attempt to slow down the pace of play, Brown started hammering shot after shot to her weaker forehand. After the adjustments, she didn’t drop another set on her way to an energetic 6-4 victory. Chants and cheers by the Michigan men’s tennis team led the crowd to rally behind her and continue to cheer her on in her second set. 

With the wind now in her sails, Brown was looking to carry her new momentum into the second set. She found herself down 3-0, yet again, to start the second set. 

“I just started the sets nervous,” Brown said. “I wasn’t feeling great physically.”

The nerves and physical discomfort she was experiencing didn’t show past her 3-0 deficit, though, as she again regained her composure and slowly put herself back in the driver’s seat. The Varsity Tennis Center crowd began to accumulate at her court as the idea of yet another comeback began to formulate. Sure enough, point after point, game after game, Brown clawed her way back to another win in a once seemingly unwinnable match. 

Her teammates ran to congratulate her as the crowd continued to roar their approval and enjoyment. The true celebration of the afternoon didn’t start until a few minutes later, when junior Gala Mesochoritou clinched the match for the Wolverines, sending them to the elite eight of the NCAA tournament. 

Resiliency has been the key to a lot of Michigan’s successes this season, with Brown leading the effort. She’s the highest ranked singles and doubles player on the team, and has given the Wolverines a solid foundation to build and grow around. 

“We have a lot of fighters,” Michigan coach Ronni Bernstein said. “It’s a good problem to have. Jaedan played great tennis after going down in both sets. She’s put us in great positions and is a huge reason why we are where we are.”

Now heading to Florida to take on No. 4 Georgia, the Wolverines will have to continue to play like their season depends on it – because it does. With Brown at the forefront, her resiliency will continue to propel Michigan forward. If the Wolverines continue to fight, they have the tools to bring home the hardware. 

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Resiliency in sports is often referred to as an intangible — you either have it, or you don’t. 

And on Saturday, the No. 5 Michigan women’s tennis team (25-3 overall) showed it had just that in a gritty win over No. 12 Virginia (20-7), 4-3.

With just 16 teams remaining in the NCAA Women’s Tennis Tournament, it was a win-or-go-home situation for both squads. Facing the possibility of an abrupt end to their season, the Wolverines were certainly shouldering some added pressure.

The Cavaliers seemed to be handling the pressure better than Michigan early on, as Virginia’s doubles pairs got off to a dominant start. 

The Wolverines’ double of junior Jaedan Brown and senior Andrea Cerdan couldn’t seem to get anything going against their opponents — as unforced errors and defensive play proved costly, dropping the set 6-1.

In a more tightly contested matchup, Michigan sophomore Julia Fliegner and freshman Lily Jones battled their Cavalier counterparts in yet another mistake-ridden set. After Fliegner and Jones took the 4-3 game lead, Virginia broke the Wolverines’ next two serves, taking the set 6-4 and giving the Cavaliers the early 1-0 lead.

Despite the early deficit, Michigan coach Ronni Bernstein remained confident that the Wolverines could claw their way back and secure the match back from Virginia. And that confidence stems from a simple belief: they are going to win.

“These matches are never over,” Bernstein said. “These matches are never over; you could see that today. But that grit and that belief is what has gotten us here.”

In order to secure the victory, Michigan needed to win four of the six singles matchups. But the Wolverines’ struggles on the court continued.

While Jones and junior Kari Miller both appeared in control of their opening sets, Brown and Cerdan’s rough days carried into their singles matchups. Brown, however, stormed back to win the first set 6-4 after digging herself into a 4-1 hole.

With Fliegner, Cerdan and junior Gala Mesochoritou all dropping their first sets, Michigan had its back up against the wall.

But, both Jones and Miller closed out their matchers to give the Wolverines their first two points of the day. Cerdan, however, never found her footing and lost her second set leaving the match tied at two apiece.

Despite Brown’s dominating finish to the first set, she found herself in a hole once again; this time, she was down 0-3. Through pure power and electric play, she regained her previous dominance to take the second set 6-4.

With Brown’s win, Michigan led 3-2 and just needed either Fliegner or Mesochoritou to pull out a comeback win.

And it was Mesochoritou who answered the call. After dropping her first set, she quickly found her groove. With the home crowd supporting her, she clawed back to defeat her opponent, ultimately securing the Wolverines a spot in the elite eight.

“We’re not going to do anything different at practice,” Bernstein said. “I feel like we can beat (Georgia). I feel like the pressure is going to be on them.”

With the confidence gained from Saturday’s win, the Wolverines believe they are a championship caliber team. Now, they just have to prove it.

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Sprinting from corner to corner, senior Ondrej Styler was on the ropes, and so was the Michigan men’s tennis team’s season. 

As he flipped his body towards the deuce court, his opponent, Southern California senior Stefan Dostanic, whipped an inside-out forehand behind Styler. He could only watch as the ball whizzed past his back to give Dostanic a 4-1 lead in the seven-point tiebreaker for the match, the season and both of their college careers.

Styler was in a rough spot, but he trusted the process that had gotten him this far.

“My mentality was I was going after my game,” Styler said. “I was trusting myself, I was trusting the abilities that I have and sometimes it goes well, sometimes it doesn’t and that’s sports. I just fought, I never gave up and I fought out to the last point and it just worked out.”

Before it all came down to the No. 1 singles match, the Wolverines took an early lead with the doubles point. However, after winning No. 3 singles and losing at No. 2, 4 and 6, Michigan needed wins from Styler and No. 5 singles junior Gavin Young to survive and move on to the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament.

Styler’s match was back and forth from the start. The players traded blows for the first set before he was set to serve at 5-5. Dostanic’s pressure finally broke through, and he won four points in a row to break Styler and later take the set 7-5. Styler would win the second set 6-3 to move on to the drama-filled third.

After his opponent fought off two match points to hold, Styler had a chance to serve for the match at 5-4. He made two errors to begin the game, but on the adjacent court, Young won his match. The team score was officially 3-3, and all the marbles rested on center court. Styler fought but missed a backhand deep to even the set at 5-5. And just as the tension couldn’t get any higher, it started to lightly rain — but no one could stop this match.

Styler and Dostanic both uncharacteristically dropped service games to keep the match even at 6-6. The two-hour-long battle would be decided by the first man to seven points.

Down 4-1, Styler stayed calm and trusted his game. His monster serve followed by an overhead won the next point, and he outlasted Dostanic in a long rally to fight back to 3-4.

With Dostanic to serve, Styler hit a hard return deep but fell victim to the wet surface. He fell down immediately after his shot. Unfazed, Styler popped right back up to hit a backhand and later take the point to even the tiebreak at 4-4.

“I’ve never seen anything like that,” Michigan coach Adam Steinberg said when asked about the slip. “[Styler] is the ultimate gamer and competitor. When it’s game day, nobody loves it more. And when you think about that point and you think about him, it’s not shocking how he gets through these matches, but he finds a way he really does.”

The players dueled back and forth to make it 5-5. Styler smashed his serve out wide and Dostanic’s forehand sailed long. With Dostanic to serve, Styler had a 6-5 lead and match point.

Dostanic missed his first serve; the hundreds of people surrounding the court fell silent. 

He kicked the second serve toward Styler’s backhand, but as Styler swung his arms back to prepare for the shot, the ball sailed long. Styler collapsed on the court as the rest of the Wolverines piled on.

“It was literally everything you could possibly imagine,” Styler said. “And to come out at the end on the top is just an incredible feeling. The feeling that this sport has given me, I’ll cherish for the rest of my life.”

After a moment the team will never forget, Michigan will look to continue its tournament run in its second straight Elite Eight.

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22-0.

That’s the Michigan men’s tennis team’s record in matches where it won the doubles point this season.

And, as those wins piled up, the Wolverines’ record stood to remind opponents that they were unstoppable in matches after taking a 1-0 lead.

Earlier this year, No. 10 seed Southern California was one of those opponents: relinquishing the doubles point before losing to then-No. 4 Michigan, 4-1. On Friday, though, after winning doubles, Michigan lost four of its six first sets in singles — only the third time all season. With the result of the other two matches being losses to Ohio State, Michigan’s destiny appeared up in the air on Friday.

That is until senior Ondrej Styler took control of a third set tiebreaker in which he fell behind early, 4-1. He altered the Wolverines’ fate by winning six of the next seven points to stamp his team’s narrow victory over USC.

In a fashion reminiscent of its Super Regional match against Texas last season, No. 7 Michigan (27-4 overall) slightly edged out the Trojans (21-8), 4-3, to clinch back-to-back appearances in the NCAA Team Championship.

“I told the team, ‘You’ll remember that for the rest of your life,’ ” Michigan coach Adam Steinberg said. “(Matches like these) are why you come to Michigan — to play in front of crowds like these.”

It was a crowd who will remember the ease with which the Wolverines overcame USC in doubles.

After running out to matching 5-1 leads, Michigan’s No. 1 and No. 2 pairs closed their matches just as quickly. Soon after fifth-year senior Patrick Maloney delivered an ace to finish action at No. 2 doubles, an unforced error by the Trojans’ No. 1 doubles helped fifth-year senior Andrew Fenty and junior Gavin Young clinch the doubles point for the Wolverines. It showed the turnaround Fenty endured throughout the set — as he appeared uncomfortable early through a series of unforced errors.

“We couldn’t have played doubles better,” Steinberg said. “But, for (USC), you maybe lose the doubles point like that and say, ‘Okay, it’s gone. It’s over.‘ And, they came out with renewed energy.“

Michigan was able to stall the Trojans’ revived intensity at the start of singles.

Capitalizing on its early first set breaks, Young rocketed three consecutive aces to maintain a 3-0 lead at No. 5 singles and Maloney pinpointed an ace to push a 3-1 lead at No. 2 singles. 

Then, USC took a pair of breaks on unforced errors by junior Nino Ehrenschneider and Maloney midway through their first sets, propelling the Trojans to take full control of momentum. After Maloney and junior Jacob Bickersteth — at No. 6 singles — dropped their first sets in matching 6-3 deficits, Ehrenschneider fell short on long rallies extending to as many as 31 shots. 

“My first serve percentage wasn’t that high, and I was missing too many approach shots,” Ehrenschneider said.

Meanwhile, Fenty and Young followed each other’s success — finishing their first sets with comfortable leads — as they looked to push Styler alongside them. 

But, after Styler dropped his first set, 7-5, everyone’s attention turned back to Ehrenschneider’s side. Having dropped four sets in singles, the Wolverines needed to force a third set on at least one court to reopen their path to victory.

And Ehrenschneider looked to answer the call.

He shot out to a 5-2 lead in his second set, but a few bad shots and passive play led to him dropping five consecutive games to lose his match. He held resolute in a stretch of time that saw the two teams trade points.

Included was Michigan giving away two points on Ehrenschneider’s side.

“It’s tough to lose three matches on one side … but, of course, if my teammates are struggling … I try to encourage them to keep fighting and fighting.”

That mentality is exactly what the Wolverines employed to keep the match tight down the stretch.

So, with Michigan down 3-2 in the midst of their third sets, Young and Styler delivered.

“We still remember losing in the (NCAA Quarterfinals) last year,” Steinberg said. “We’re excited to be back and change the result … This group of guys wants it so badly for each other.”

And, if the Wolverines can keep the sting of defeat fresh in their minds, they’ll come one match closer to their ultimate goal: winning the NCAA Team Championship.

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After a dominant win against Toledo on Saturday, the No. 7 Michigan men’s tennis team hoped to follow up its performance against California-Berkley during its quest for a national championship.

And it did.

The Wolverines (26-4 overall) played valiantly against a tough Golden Bears (13-11) team, and went on to claim a 4-0 victory.

Doubles started off close, as matches on all three courts were contested. Junior Jacob Bickersteth and senior Ondrej Styler broke late in their match. And using their momentum, the pair served out the match to win, 6-3, to put Michigan on the board.

Soon after, fifth-year Patrick Maloney and junior Nino Ehrenschneider broke late as well, and held their next two service games to win, 6-4.

Following the wins, the remaining match was abandoned as the Wolverines clinched the doubles point.

“(Doubles has) been something that we really have leaned on the last few years,” Michigan coach Adam Steinberg said. “We play some of the best doubles in the country and it left us for a little while this year, but I feel like today was one of the best we’ve played. To do it in May is good timing, right when we need it. We’ll keep working this week and get ready hopefully to do it again against USC.”

Starting off strong in singles, junior Gavin Young put on a strong performance by breaking early and serving consistently. Taking an early lead in the first set, he continued to fight. Following suit in the second set, he secured the match with another dominant performance, defeating his opponent, 6-3, 6-2.

“I think I broke the second game in the first set,” Young said. “Then I was able to hold the rest. I was really happy with the way I served, and in the second set I think I broke that first game.”

Soon after, Bickersteth finished off a commanding effort to secure the Wolverines’ second singles match victory, 6-3, 6-2.

Styler then followed suit with a win of his own. Much like his teammates, he broke serve often, and opened up early leads in both sets. This powered him to a 6-2, 6-1 victory. With Michigan’s third straight-set victory, Styler clinched the match for the Wolverines.

Michigan looked prime to secure additional victories after beating the Golden Bears. Ehrenschneider won his first set and was deadlocked in a second set battle while Maloney fired back in his match with a second set victory, and had the momentum going into the final set.

Overall, a team-led victory pushed the Wolverines to an ardent win.

“When one person is out there, we want to make them feel like they’re playing against all six of us,” Young said. 

In under two hours, Michigan claimed an assertive win, as all six players proved too much for California-Berkley to handle.

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In the Michigan men’s tennis team’s opening round match against Toledo, sophomore Will Cooksey stood apart in a number of ways.

He was the only Wolverine to play singles without playing doubles. And, he was the only Michigan player to lose in his first set.

But, he also opened his second set with the largest lead of any Wolverine — shocking his Rocket opponent with a 4-0 lead after falling in the first set, 6-2.

“I didn’t play my best tennis, but I thought I kept a great attitude,” Cooksey said. “And, everyone around me was playing great, so that’s what really matters in the end.”

That great play culminated in Michigan’s win over Toledo, 4-0, after seamlessly carrying its momentum from doubles into its first sets of singles.

Without playing doubles, though, Cooksey found himself in his first appearance for the Wolverines since April 7.

“He obviously came out tight in the first set after having not played in a while,” Michigan coach Adam Steinberg said. “He’s really done well all season, so, when someone goes down and you put a ‘Will Cooksey’ in … we don’t even blink an eye.”

Replacing an ill junior Nino Ehrenschneider, Cooksey filled the Wolverines’ No. 6 singles spot — moving juniors Gavin Young and Jacob Bickersteth ahead in the lineup at No. 4 and No. 5, respectively.

And, while his teammates settled in early, Cooksey’s rust showed after suffering multiple unforced errors and poorly-placed shots that his opponent took advantage of. His failures quickly catapulted into a first set loss that clearly set the match apart on the scoreboard — as every other Wolverine had given up only two games until that point.

While his teammates’ scores tightened in their second sets, Cooksey held resolute in long rallies to establish a 4-0 lead — which he extended the lead to 5-2 when he fell on the short side of 16-shot deuce point rally. After fifth-year senior Patrick Maloney dueled an ace to clinch Michigan’s victory, Cooksey’s match was abandoned at 2-6 and 5-2.

“I was a little nervous to start the match,” Cooksey said. “But, once I started to attack his weaknesses and trust my own game, things got a lot better.”

Not only did his mindset change, but his fate changed too: in the midst of his teammates dominating their Toledo opponents, Cooksey showed that he could quickly acclimate to the postseason environment by flipping his scoreboard from the first set to the second.

It’s a skill that he has built from a growing body of championship experience.

During the ITA National Team Indoor Championship, Cooksey went 3-0 against his opponents from top-25 ranked schools. And since then, he’s held an 8-1 singles record during the dual season.

Cooksey embodies the stability that Steinberg is searching for to round out his lineup.

Beyond the top half of the Wolverines’ singles lineup — which features senior Ondrej Styler and fifth-year seniors Maloney and Andrew Fenty — Steinberg has struggled to pick amongst his team’s remarkable depth to fill the remainder of the lineup.

Prior to its opening round match against Toledo, Michigan seemed to have its choices made heading into the postseason — with Ehrenschneider, Young and Bickersteth serving in the bottom half of the singles lineup. But, a fork in the road brought Cooksey onto the scene.

It brings forth another case that Steinberg will have to consider as he finalizes a pair of doubles and singles lineups ahead of every potentially season-ending match in the NCAA Tournament.

“I was happy with how (Cooksey) responded in his second set,” Steinberg said. “He’s had a great season for us.”

And, with his turnaround showing in a singles match against Toledo, Cooksey exemplified the Wolverines’ depth that poses great hope for their championship aspirations.

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After falling in the Big Ten Tournament championship, the Wolverines aimed to rebound quickly. And entering Saturday’s match against Toledo, the No. 7 Michigan men’s tennis team was hungry for vengeance to start the NCAA Tournament off with a win.

In dominant fashion, Michigan (25-4 overall) made quick work of the Rockets (18-6), 4-0, dismantling its opponents in each match they played.

Breezing through their opponents, junior Jacob Bickersteth and senior Ondrej Styler broke early, and never relinquished their advantage to win without dropping a game.

Much like their teammates, fifth-year Patrick Maloney and junior Nino Ehrenschneider also powered through their match. The duo broke early, cruising to a 6-1 victory. And with their second win, the Wolverines clinched the elusive doubles point.

Despite the final match being abandoned, fifth-year Andrew Fenty and junior Gavin Young were well on their way to a victory, leading 5-1.

“(Doubles) has been our focus for the last month,” Michigan coach Adam Steinberg said. “We had a time in the season where we were really struggling with it, and the strength of our team for the past few years has been our doubles… and I don’t think we’ve practiced it harder than we have in the last month and it’s really paying off.”

As the Wolverines transitioned to singles, they hoped to build upon the abundant success they had in doubles.

Bickersteth followed upon his victory with another impressive performance. Starting off strong, he won the first four games of the first set and would drop just two games en route to a 6-1, 6-1 victory.

“I tried to stay aggressive throughout the whole match,” Bickersteth said. “I tried to hit heavy forehands and make the (opponent) uncomfortable, and it worked out pretty well.”

Fenty also built on his successes, winning the first set handily. In the second set, he worked his way out on an early hold, and won the final five games to close the match, winning, 6-0, 6-3.

Maloney continued to press the advantage, finding his stride with a break in the middle of the first set. Similarly to his teammates, he won in straight sets. As Maloney earned Michigan’s fourth point of the day, play was abandoned on all remaining courts as Michigan secured the victory.

Michigan put on a clinic as it continues to roll. The Wolverines capitalized on Toledo’s mistakes all afternoon as they marched toward a monumental victory in the first round of the NCAA Championships.

“(There are) 32 teams left in the whole country,” Steinberg said. “We know it’s going to be tough, and we wouldn’t want it any other way.”

All season, Michigan has been a contender to take home a national championship. And after securing its first victory in the NCAA Tournament, Michigan has made a statement as it continues to push for a national title.

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