Michigan State University
No. 42 Penn State
MSU Earns Dramatic, Emotional Upset Victory
3/21/2015 12:00:00 AM | Men's Tennis
EAST LANSING, Mich. - It was an emotional day for the Michigan State Spartans. They were dedicating their Big Ten opener to a fallen member of the family.
The ending couldn't have been more perfect if Hollywood wrote the script, as the Spartans fought hard to earn a dramatic 4-3 victory over No. 42 Penn State.
"You can't really put it into words," senior Harry Jadun said. "With everything that happened in the last week with my mother passing. To do it here under the lights...I had some family here and that was so awesome."
The match was dedicated to Lenora Jadun, Harry Jadun's mother, and her son came up huge for MSU, clinching the match with a 3-6, 7-6 (7-5), 6-4 victory at No. 3 singles over Matt Berry.
Yet, it wasn't just Harry Jadun. It was a whole team effort, and they struck hard and fast from the start.
"The guys deserved it, it wasn't just me," said Jadun. "It was Mac (Roy), it was Jasper (Koenen), and it was the guys who won their matches in doubles. It was an all-around team effort."
Michigan State won the doubles point, behind an 8-6 victory by Jadun and John Patrick Mullane, the No. 21 doubles tandem, and an 8-4 win by the still undefeated Doug Zade and Koenen.
The Spartans continued to roll in singles play. Koenen and Roy won two of the first three singles matches in straight sets, giving MSU a 3-1 lead over the Nittany Lions.
Brett Forman, Michael Dube and Jadun all rallied to win the second set of their matches. Jadun even won his second set in a tiebreaker.
Though Dube and Forman fell to their opponents in three sets, those rallies to force a third set were key in extending the match and pushing the team to victory.
Jadun then sealed the win with his rally at No. 3 singles.
"It's a special win," head coach Gene Orlando said. "To see Harry clinch the match is pretty exciting. It was a great ending to a great match."
The Spartans move to 9-8 (1-0) on the season.
Extra Notes
Doug Zade and Jasper Koenen remain undefeated, at 11-0, in doubles play on the season.
Michigan State is 9-4 when it wins the doubles point.
Michigan State 4, Penn State 3
Feb. 28, 2015 at East Lansing, Mich. (MSU Indoor Tennis Facility)
Singles Competition
1. Alex Fennell (PSU) def. No. 120 Gijs Linders (MSU) 6-2, 6-3
2. Leonard Stakhovsky (PSU) def. Brett Forman (MSU) 6-2, 3-6, 6-4
3. Harry Jadun (MSU) def. Matt Barry (PSU) 3-6, 7-6 (7-5), 6-4
4. Mac Roy (MSU) def. Tomas Hanzlik (PSU) 6-2, 6-4
5. Aws Laaribi (PSU) def. Michael Dube (MSU) 6-4, 1-6, 6-4
6. Jasper Koenen (MSU) def. Roman Trkulja (PSU) 6-3, 6-2
Doubles Competition
1. No. 21 JP Mullane/Harry Jadun (MSU) def. No. 75 Aws Laaribi/Leonard Stakhovsky (PSU) 8-4
2. Gijs Linders/Brett Forman (MSU) vs. Michael Reilly/Alex Fennell (PSU) 7-4 unfinished
3. Doug Zade/Jasper Koenen (MSU) def. Matt Berry/Roman Trkulja (PSU) 8-4
Players Mentioned
