KALAMAZOO -- The No. 65 Western Michigan men's tennis team halted its two match losing streak with a 5-2 victory over Cornell on Sunday at West Hills Athletic Club.
The Big Red (2-3) had just pulled to within one, 3-2, with a three-set win at No. 6, but on the very next point, freshman Kazuya Komada closed out his match 6-3, 7-5 at No. 3 to give the Broncos (9-3, 1-0 MAC) the win.
The Broncos started strong by sweeping all three doubles matches. Junior Kevin Hayward and freshman Casey Cullen improved their record to 18-0 with an 8-3 win at No. 2, followed by freshmen Komada and Michael Calderone with an 8-5 win at No. 3. Seniors Alex Birchmeier and Bryan Norville closed out doubles with an 8-7 (4) win at No. 1.
Birchmeier and Hayward put WMU up 3-1 with a pair of quick singles wins. Birchmeier won 6-2, 6-1 at No. 2 and Hayward followed with a 7-5, 6-1 win at No. 1.
With three wins this weekend, Birchmeier moved to the verge of the career Top 10 in wins at WMU with 166, good for 11th place, three shy of tying Steve Pillon for 10th.
Senior Alejandro Staub rounded out the scoring with a 7-5, 4-6, 6-4 triumph at No. 5.
The Broncos take to the road next weekend for the H.E.B. Invitational in Corpus Christi, Texas, on Feb. 29 and March 1.
Tennis Match Results
Cornell vs Western Michigan
Feb 24, 2008 at Kalamazoo, Mich.
#65 Western Michigan 5, Cornell 2
Singles competition
1. Kevin Hayward (WMU) def. Kyle Doppelt (CU) 7-5, 6-1
2. Alex Birchmeier (WMU) def. Rory Heggie (CU) 6-2, 6-1
3. Kazuya Komada (WMU) def. Joshua Goldstein (CU) 6-3, 7-5
4. Jonathan Jaklitsch (CU) def. Bryan Norville (WMU) 6-4, 6-1
5. Alejandro Staub (WMU) def. Jonathan Fife (CU) 7-5, 4-6, 6-4
6. Jeremy Feldman (CU) def. Michael Calderone (WMU) 3-6, 6-4, 7-6 (8-6)
Doubles competition
1. Alex Birchmeier/Bryan Norville (WMU) def. Kyle Doppelt/Weston Nichols (CU) 8-7 (7-4)
2. Casey Cullen/Kevin Hayward (WMU) def. Rory Heggie/Joshua Goldstein (CU) 8-3
3. Kazuya Komada/Michael Calderone (WMU) def. Jeremy Feldman/Jonathan Jaklitsch (CU) 8-5
Match Notes:
Cornell 2-3
Western Michigan 9-3; National ranking #65
Order of finish: Doubles (2,3,1); Singles (2,1,4,6,3,5)
