Page 22-Saturday, April 21, 1979-The Michigan Daily
MEN UNDEFEATED IN BIG TEN
Blue netters humble Northwestern
By SCOTT M. LEWIS
Final exams officially begin today,
but the Michigan tennis team has
alrs :dy completed its first test of the
wF: kend- and received a solid "A.',
rne Wolverines squashed North-
we-,rn, 9-0 here yesterday fo their
sixth straight Big Ten triumph without
a : miish. ' he win hiked Michigan's
ova all mark to 14-1, a recurd which
w;il be hard to overlook w hen NCAA
tournament bids are being handed out
nexi month.
T day's match with Wisconsin (1
p.m. at the Ferry Courts) looms as a
crucial conference battle for the Blue
netters. The Badgers, who upset
Michigan last year during the regular
season only to bow to the Wolverines in
the Big Ten tournament, have lost only
one conference match and have their
sights set on returning to the NCAAs.
Northwestern, now 2-4 in the Big Ten,
entertains no tournament hopes..
However, the Wildcats proved to be a
more formidable foe than the 9-0
whitewashing indicated. The match
lasted nearly four hours, as the young
Wildcats extended three of the matches
to three sets. Northwestern coach Van-
dy Christie said his men were playing
"real good tennis" but conceded that
they were simply outplayed by
Michigan.
"This Michigan team is the best
they've had in four years, as far as dep-
th is concerned," Christie observed.
"Mike Leach adds the ingredient that it
needs to become a real national power.
They're ready to. compete with the
UCLAs and USCs on a regular basis."
Leach, the freshman who has yet to
lose in college, waltzed to a 6-0, 6-3 win
over Joey Rosenberg. After the easy
rnatch, Leach reflected on his chance of
being invited to the NCAA singles tour-
nament
"We'lt just have to see what hap
pens," he said. "Four players from our
district are invited, and if Beek
(Michigan captain Jeff Etterbeek) is
seeded (in the Top 16), then five will
(Etterbeek, a two-time Big Ten first
singles champion, currently is ranked
10th.)
Leach's hopes to earn an NCAA tour-
ney spot may be enhanced considerably
today. Wolverine coach Brian Eisner is
contemplating inserting either Leach
or second singles standout Matt Hor-
witch at the top slot against Wisconsin.
Since the Badgers' number one player,
Ken Thomas, is also shooting for an
NCAA invitation, a Michigan victory
today would be doubly sweet.
Etterbeek, a surprise loser last
Saturday in Iowa, had his best outing in
two weeks against pesky Paul Wei, 7-5,
3-6, 6-3. Etterbeek cited three days' rest
as a key to his markedly improved
play.
"I was tired (over the weekend)," he
said. "Whenever you're driving till 2
a.m. it has to affect you."
Etterbeek also was aided by the move
outdoors. The indoor surfaces which he
played on last weekend were not con-
ducive to his patient, backcourt game.
Eisner was encouraged- by Etter-
beek's performance, as well as by the
team's overall showing. "We had two
good days of practice, and we felt more
confident outside," he said. "North-
western was the strongest team we've
played outdoors so far. I expected us to
play good tennis, and we did."
Ieirwitch. vho has registered
perhaps the most dlecisise string of vic-
tories in recent matches, disposed of
Mike Balkin, 6-', 6-4. In doubles action,
however, he and Etterbeek were
pressured by Wei and Balkin before
scratching out a 3-6, 7-6, 6-4 win.
"That doubles team beat Etterbeek
and Horwitch at Northwestern last
year," Eisner said. "Their style of
doubles play always gives us trouble. -
"Wei had almost a magic racquet.
For two sets he didn't miss in the
doubles match."
At fourth singles, Jud Shaufler over-
came some erratic net play in the
second set enroute to a 6-3, 3-6, 6-4 vic-
tory He and Leach switched courts in
their second doubles match, which
Michigan won, 6-2,6-2.
Pete Osler, playing fifth si;nges,
preserved his 14-match win streak by
smashing Tom O'Flynn, 6-3, 6-2. tie and
third doubles partner Jack Neinken
paired for a 6-3, 6-0 pasting 'of Rosen-
berg and Kurt Engebrecht, keeping the
team unbeaten for the season. Neinken
was also victorious at sixth singles, as
he rolled past Tom Benezra, 7-5, 6-3.
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Daily Photo by ANDY FREEBERG
MICHIGAN TENNIS captain Jeff Etterbeek applies a lethal dose of topspin to
the ole' fuzzball during his match yesterday with Paul Wei of Northwestern.
Etterbeek edged Wei in the number one singles contest, 7-5, 3-6, 6-3, as Michigan
blanked the Wildcats 9-0 for its sixth straight win in Big Ten play. The Wolverines,
now 14-1 overall, duel Wisconsin today at 1 p.m.
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