'M' netters bounced from BTT by Buckeyes

By Joe Smith

Daily Sports Writer

Michigan women's tennis team co-captain Danielle Lund took a seat on the bench during last Friday's quarterfinal loss to top-seeded Ohio State (17-6) in the Big Ten Tournament.

Having lost the first set, and down 4-1 in the second, she put a blue Michigan cap on and buried her face in a towel - wiping away the mixture of sweat and tears that dripped down her cheeks.

She stared at fellow senior co-captain Brooke Hart, who was just a point away from losing her match, and probably wondered if this was the last time they were going to don the maize and blue.

The eighth-seeded Wolverines (10-12) had lost the important doubles point for the second straight day, and needed to win four of the six remaining singles matches against the defending Big Ten champion Buckeyes in order to extend their season.

"It kind of crossed my mind," Lund said. "I thought about it more yesterday against Wisconsin."

Michigan lost the doubles point in its first round match against the ninth-seeded Badgers on Thursday. This foretold trouble, for every time the Wolverines had lost the doubles point this season, they lost the match.

But there are exceptions to every rule.

The Wolverines proceeded to win three straight singles matches, giving them a 3-1 lead. But, with their team just one victory away from advancing to the next round, Lund and junior Szandra Fuzesi both lost their singles matches, at the two and three slots respectively.

So it all came down to one match. Tied 3-3, with the season hanging in the balance - the pressure was placed on freshman Jen Duprez, who was fighting a three set war with a familiar foe, Wisconsin's lone senior Dena Baritot.

When she was in eighth grade, Duprez played Baritot at a junior state championship tournament. Baritot was the No. 1 seed, but Duprez beat her in three sets, crushing Baritot's confidence.

"I know her fairly well and she told me that she hadn't really gotten over that loss until two weeks ago," Duprez said.

This time, Duprez again found herself in a battle against Baritot. Duprez was down 3-1 in the deciding third set, and the eyes of the home crowd and her teammates focused on her every move.

The freshman came through and took a 5-4 lead. Eight break points later, Duprez sent a forehand down the line, clinching the 4-3 victory over Wisconsin and keeping Michigan's season alive.

"She plays well under pressure," Michigan coach Bitsy Ritt said. "Dena didn't lose the match, Jen won it."

But Duprez's efforts were not enough to help the Wolverines overcome the loss of the doubles point against the red-hot Buckeyes on Friday, as Michigan lost 4-1.

The Wolverines' season will be over unless the NCAA Selection Committee gives them an at-large bid into tennis' "May Madness" when teams are selected this Thursday for the NCAA Tournament.

Even if Michigan does not receive a bid, Ritt says that she has a lot to be proud of this year.

"Nothing came easily for this team, not one thing," Ritt said. "A lot of things went against us this year and I'm proud of the way the players conducted themselves."

MARJORIE MARSHALL/Daily

Top-seed Ohio State defeated Jen Duprez and her Wolverine teammates.