KALAMAZOO, MI (WKZO AM/FM) – The Western Michigan University men’s tennis team won the 2022 Mid-American Conference Tournament Sunday afternoon with a 4-2 victory over the University of Toledo at West Hills Athletic Club in Kalamazoo.
The win is WMU’s 14th MAC Tournament Title and clinches a berth in the 2022 NCAA Men’s Tennis Tournament. This is the ninth time that the Broncos have won both the regular season and tournament championships.
Western Michigan freshman Anton Arzhankin and sophomore Benjamin George were named to the MAC All-Tournament Team, with Arzhankin being named the MAC Tournament Most Outstanding Player.
After some struggles toward the end of the regular season, head coach Dave Morin changed up the doubles lineup and it proved big in the championship match. Fynn Lohse and Joaquin Caballer got the Broncos on the board first with a 6-3 win at No. 2. Toledo tied it up with a win at No. 3, 7-5, by Luka Jankovic and Adam Kovac. The decisive point game down to Arzhankin and Peter Kuszynski and Marko Galic and Pawit Sornlaksup. Toledo had a 4-3 lead in the set but WMU tied it up at 4-4 and then finished off the next two games to win the set 6-4 and give the Broncos a 1-0 lead.
The Rockets tied it up with Sornlaksup, who did not lose in singles action in MAC play, defeated Kuszynski 6-1, 6-2. Shortly after Arzhankin gave the lead back to Western Michigan with a 6-2, 6-0 win over Adam Kovac. Arzhankin finished the tournament 2-0 in singles and 1-1 in doubles. Toledo tied it up again with Galic defeating Brogan Pierce 6-2, 6-2.
WMU took the lead the final time when George earned a 6-2, 6-3 win over Cole Shoults. Junior Arjun Honnappa secured the trophy with a 6-4, 6-3 win at No. 5 over Jankovic to set the score at 4-2.
Western Michigan now awaits its fate for its 15th trip to the NCAA Tournament. The NCAA Men’s Tennis Tournament Selection Show is Monday, May 2 at 6:00 p.m. on NCAA.com.
(courtesy of WMU Athletics)
Comments