The UW men's tennis team (1-3 Big Ten, 8-6 overall) was unable to capitalize on an excellent performance by sophomore Nolan Polley, bowing out to No. 30 Michigan (3-0, 9-6) 6-1 on Saturday at Nielsen Tennis Stadium.
Polley, playing at the No. 2 singles spot, seemed to be in cruise control, using his big serve and strong net play to dismantle Michigan's Brian Hung 6-4, 6-1. Polley clinched the match with a phenomenal running cross-court backhand winner. This was a solid win for Polley, as Hung is one of the best players at the No. 2 spot in the Big Ten.
I did everything well, and played a really solid match,\ Polley said. ""I didn't give anything away and I didn't let him get back into the match. I just took it to him.""
""[Polley] is starting to really find his own way, as far as what his ability in tennis is,"" head coach Greg Van Emburgh said.
In other singles matches, two Badgers, junior Lachezar Kasarov and freshman Gian Hodgson, won their first sets, only to go on to lose the match. At the No. 4 spot, Kasarov took the first set 6-4, but was then beaten 6-3, 7-5 in the next two sets by the Wolverines' Ryan Heller in the day's longest singles match. Hodgson also was victorious in the first set 6-4 at No. 6, but eventually was defeated 7-5, 6-3 by Michigan's Peter Aarts.
Michigan took two of the three doubles matches to capture the doubles point. The Badgers' No. 3 team of Kasarov and sophomore Felipe Bellido was victorious, winning 8-6 over Michigan's Aarts and Steve Peretz. Polley and sophomore Jeremy Sonkin suffered their first loss of the season 8-5 at No. 1 doubles, unable to upset the No. 8 Wolverine duo of Hung and Marco Maravic. Phippen and Hodgson were knocked off 8-4 at the No. 2 spot.
""We're still trying to establish ourselves as being a top team,"" Van Emburgh said. ""Obviously by today's performance we're not quite there.""\
