The No. 9 MSU men's tennis team fought through windy conditions and an early deficit to defeat rival No. 8 Michigan in Thursday's Big Ten Tournament.
With the 4-2 win, the Spartans advance to play the defending national champions, No. 1 Illinois, at 10 a.m. today at the MSU Outdoor Courts, the site of this year's tournament.
Some players cursed the wind as it caused mishits - which sometimes sent tennis balls flying off the courts - by both teams. Junior Cameron Marshall, who clinched the match with his singles victory, said the wind actually played to MSU's advantage.
"The thing is, we've been playing in the wind, practicing in the wind a whole lot and a lot of guys don't like it because it's hard to get a groove out here," he said. "I'm really comfortable in the wind and I think the team is, too - that definitely prepared us."
The Spartans fell behind, 1-0, after doubles play, but played the Wolverines close in singles action.
There are nine total matches in each competition between schools in the tournament, three doubles matches and six singles. One point is awarded to the team that wins the majority of the doubles matches and each singles match, played concurrently, is worth one point.
In the tournament format, the first team to reach four points wins. At that point, all other matches in progress are abandoned to expedite play.
After the Wolverines claimed the doubles point, MSU won the No. 4, 5 and 6 singles matches but lost the No. 3, giving the Spartans a 3-2 advantage.
The matchup between the rivals was decided in MSU's favor when Marshall, the No. 2 singles player, beat U-M's Brian Hung, 7-6(6), 3-6 and 6-2. After Marshall won his No. 1 singles match, the match between junior Andrew Formanczyk and U-M's Anthony Jackson was abandoned.
Marshall said the win was special because it was against the rival Wolverines.
"It was a close match. I knew I had to step it up," he said. "This whole year, I've lost a lot of close matches. Just staying mentally focused and stable out there was the key for me to get the victory.
"That was definitely one of my highlights. I don't like Michigan one bit."
Formanczyk said he was a little disappointed because he wasn't allowed to finish his match.
"I thought towards the end, before we won the match, momentum was in my favor, and I was about ready to seal the deal," he said. "But it doesn't matter. To beat a team like Michigan - that's good."
Illinois, MSU's next opponent in the tournament, has won 36 straight matches against conference opponents and is undefeated this season. But, as head coach Gene Orlando pointed out, the Fighting Illini's dominance could work in the Spartans' favor.
"The pressure's on them," he said. "They got the streak, but if we get down, they're going to be like front-runners and they can run."
