East Lansing, Mich. – In the season’s highest-ranked opponent matchup yet and Big Ten opener, the #53 Nebraska men’s tennis team (10-6, 0-1 Big Ten) fell, 2-5, to the #18 Michigan State Spartans (15-3, 1-0 Big Ten). Calvin Mueller grabbed a straight set win over nationally ranked #34 Ronald Hohmann, but the points from Mueller and Lars Johann in singles were not enough to take down MSU.
To start off the match with doubles, Mueller and Johann competed in the No. 2 slot against Max Sheldon and Ronald Hohmann. The Spartans were able to pull ahead and take a 6-4 victory over Mueller and Johann. On Court One, recently ranked duo #79 Anton Shepp and Nic Wiedenhorn took on Ozan Baris and Graydon Lair. Baris and Lair took the match 6-4, claiming the doubles point for MSU. Nikolay Sysoev and Leo Linquet played Taym Alazmeh and Sebastien Collard on Court Three, but their match was left unfinished at 5-5, with the doubles point decided.
The Big Red had a split start to singles, with three Huskers taking their first sets and three dropping them. Johann was the first to finish, taking his first set win to a straight-set 6-1, 6-3 victory over Collard. On Court One, Shepp faced #11 Ozan Baris, currently the top-ranked player in the Big Ten, and fell, 3-6, 2-6. Mueller was matched up against #34 Ronald Hohmann on Court Two, and defeated the Spartan in straight sets, 6-3, 6-2, to tie the match at 2-2. The win improved Mueller’s No. 2 slot record to 5-1 this spring. Wiedenhorn competed in the No. 4 slot, against David Saye. Saye defeated Wiedenhorn, 6-0, 6-4. On Court Five, Sysoev faced Sheldon, and battled, but fell, 4-6, 4-6. Sheldon’s win sealed the victory for MSU, but Rudi Christiansen and Alazmeh played out their match on Court Six. Christiansen took the first set, but dropped the second, and the close match-tiebreak, 6-4, 1-6, 0-1 [8-10].
Up next the Huskers head to Ann Arbor, Mich., for another conference matchup. The Big Red will take on the Wolverines on Sunday, March 24, with first serve set for 11 a.m. (CT). The match will have live streams and stats available. Stay tuned to the Husker Men’s Tennis social media channels to keep up with match updates and content as available.
