Men’s Tennis Takes Down Michigan, State, 4-3

Saturday, February 29

East Lansing, MI

12:00 PM

Brown University

Michigan State

Men’s Tennis Takes Down Michigan, State, 4-3

2/29/2020 6:08:00 PM | Men's Tennis

EAST LANSING, Mich. - The Brown men's tennis team defeated Michigan State, 4-3, on Saturday at the MSU Indoor Tennis Facility. Freshman Niraj Komatineni (Mason, Ohio) won the deciding match for the Bears in the fifth position, coming from behind with a 4-6, 7-6 (3), 6-4 triumph.

"What a gutsy effort today!" said head coach Tim Gray. "Having lost the doubles point and then losing the first set in 5 of the 6 singles matches, the resiliency and determination that the team showed today was unbelievable. Anytime to play a Big 10 school on their home courts you know you're going to be in for a battle. But our "never say die" attitude made the difference. I'm exceedingly proud of the team effort today!"

Junior Teddy van Eck (Rye, N.Y.) and senior Peter Litsky (St. Petersburg, Fla.) opened the day with a 6-3 win in second doubles but the Spartans would claim the point with 6-4 wins in both first and third doubles.

Michigan State went up 2-0 with a victory in the sixth position before the Bears knotted the match with wins in first and second singles. Senior Jacob Walker (Bethesda, Md.) gave Brown its first point of the afternoon with a 7-5, 6-1 win in the top spot. Litsky followed, outlasting his opponent, 2-6, 6-0, 6-2, in the second position.

The Spartans briefly pulled ahead by one, 3-2, but the Bears closed out singles with two-straight wins in fourth and fifth singles. Van Eck first came from behind to win his fourth singles match, 5-7, 6-3, 6-2, and Komatineni sealed the match victory for Brown going the distance in the fifth spot, 4-6, 7-6 (3), 6-4.

The Bears wrap up their stay in Michigan tomorrow (Sunday, March 1), with a trip to No. 5 Michigan at 11:00 a.m.

Results
Doubles
1. Campbell/Keene (MSU) def. Walker/Chou (B), 6-4
2. van Eck/Litsky (B) def. Carlin/Pero (MSU), 6-3
3. Mukherjee/Matsuno (MSU) def. Komatineni/Siniakowicz (B), 6-4

Singles
1. Jacob Walker (B) def. John Carlin (MSU), 7-5, 6-1
2. Peter Listky (B) def. Anthony Pero (MSU), 2-6, 6-0, 6-2
3. Carson Gates (MSU) def. Roger Chou (B), 7-5, 1-6, 6-1
4. Teddy van Eck (B) def. Josh Mukherjee (MSU), 5-7, 6-3, 6-2
5. Niraj Komatineni (B) def. Jarreau Campbell (MSU), 4-6, 7-6 (3), 6-4
6. Kazuki Matsuno (MSU) def. Matthew Mu (B), 6-4, 6-3