University of Minnesota Athletics
University of Minnesota
Indiana
No. 37 Gophers Advance to B1G Semifinals
4/27/2018 12:00:00 AM | Men's Tennis
IOWA CITY, Iowa - The No. 37 Gopher Men's Tennis team earned a bit of payback for the regular season, advancing to the Big Ten Tournament semifinals after a 4-1 win over No. 43 Indiana at the Hawkeye Tennis & Recreation Center on Friday morning.
The two head coaches sent the same line-up to the courts as their regular season meeting in Bloomington, but this time fourth seed Minnesota (15-7) came out firing and won the doubles point against the fifth seed Indiana (15-12). Felix Corwin and Josip Krstanovic rolled to a dominating 6-0 victory over Bennett Crane and Keivon Tabrizi at #1 doubles. The Gophers held set point in both #2 and #3 doubles when Stefan Milicevic and Marino Alpeza broke through for a 6-4 win over Zac Brodney and Raheel Manji to take the 1-0 lead.
The Maroon & Gold controlled the pace on four of six singles courts during the first set, and Corwin came back to force a third set after dropping the first at #1 singles. Alpeza would be the first to score a point for the Gophers as he battled for a 7-5 first set win and closed it out a bit more handily at 6-2 in the second set over Andrew Redding. No. 81 Stefan Milicevic gave the Gophers a 3-0 lead with a 6-1, 6-4 win at #3 singles over Tabrizi.
Not long after, Indiana got on the board as no. 120 Antonio Cembellin snapped no. 90 Matic Spec's nine-match winning streak, edging out Minnesota's All-Big Ten First Teamer, 6-4, 7-5 at #2 singles. Corwin wrapped up the victory for Minnesota, completing his comeback over no. 111 Raheel Manji, winning 1-6, 6-4, 6-3 to clinch it. Josip Krstanovic and Jackson Allen each had the lead in the third set when Corwin clinched the decisive fourth point.
"The conditions were a lot different: indoors at their place versus outdoors at a neutral site," said head coach Geoff Young on the difference between this meeting and the teams' regular season outing. "We did a better job with doubles, and that can make a difference when you have a good start. I give credit to Indiana as they didn't give up. I like how they fight. Today, we came out on top, but it's two close teams."
Minnesota advances to another rematch from a defeat during the regular season as the Gophers will match up with Big Ten regular season champion Ohio State in Saturday's semifinals.
"We are going to have to use our chances," said Young about the rematch. "We need to make decisions consistent with us playing our best and not just playing it safe."
Singles
1. No. 79 Felix Corwin (MINN) def. No. 111 Raheel Manji (IND) 1-6, 6-4, 6-3
2. No. 120 Antonio Cembellin (IND) def. No. 90 Matic Spec (MINN) 6-4, 7-5
3. No. 81 Stefan Milicevic (MINN) def. Keivon Tabrizi (IND) 6-1, 6-4
4. Josip Krstanovic (MINN) vs. Bennett Crane (IND) 6-1, 3-6, 6-5, unfinished
5. Jackson Allen (MINN) vs. Zac Brodney (IND) 7-5, 4-6, 3-0, unfinished
6. Marino Alpeza (MINN) def. Andrew Redding (IND) 7-5, 6-2
Doubles
1. Felix Corwin / Josip Krstanovic (MINN) def. Bennett Crane / Keivon Tabrizi (IND) 6-0
2. Matic Spec / Eli Ogilvy (MINN) vs Antonio Cembellin / Afonso Salgrad (IND) 5-4, unfinished
3. Stefan Milicevic / Marino Alpeza (MINN) def. Zac Brodney / Raheel Manji (IND) 6-4
Order of Finish
Doubles (1, 3) ÃÆ'Æ'¢ÃÆ'¢'¬¦ Singles (6, 3, 2, 1)
UP NEXT
Minnesota takes on top-seeded No. 3 Ohio State in the Big Ten Tournament semifinals on Saturday morning. First serve is set for 11 a.m.
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Players Mentioned
