All it took was one serve.
With the match tied at 3-3, Western Michigan's Michael Calderone slid by Toledo's Knot Likitkumchorn 6-4, 6-7 (2), 6-4 in second singles, allowing the Broncos to clinch the Mid-American Conference Men's Tennis Championship with a 4-3 victory at the Village Glen Tennis Center.
The match was moved to the facility in Williamsville, N.Y. due to high winds in excess of 20 mph at the Ellicott Tennis Courts.
Western Michigan's (18-8, 7-0 MAC) victory over the Rockets (18-11, 4-4 MAC) gave them their fourth consecutive championship. The win also propels them into the NCAA Men's Tennis Championship in two weeks, the seventh visit in school history.
"These championships are getting tougher and tougher to win, but each one seems sweeter than the last," said Broncos head coach Dave Morin. "Coach Wermer has put together a great squad at Toledo and our hats off to them for giving us everything we could handle. The difference came down to winning the doubles point, and more specifically coming back at three doubles."
It was the second time that the two teams faced off in a week. On April 19, the Broncos defeated the Rockets 6-1.
"[After last Sunday's loss], to come out under these circumstances today with an NCAA bid on the line and play the way we did, it's just a phenomenal effort," said Rockets head coach Al Wermer. "It was a spellbinding MAC final. It was a just a few shots in the last couple of matches between Western Michigan winning for the fourth time in a row and us taking it."
Western Michigan jumped on top in doubles play by earning the lone doubles point. The team of Pablo Olivarez and Casey Cullen defeated Toledo's duo of Aleksander Elezovic and Levi Bent-Lee 8-5 to earn the first win of the day in third doubles.
In the second doubles match, Western Michigan's Zevad Montasser and Kevin Hayward defeated Sven Burus and Robbie McCallum of the Rockets 9-7 to earn the coveted doubles point. The first doubles match did not finish, with Jared Miller and Likitkumchorn of Toledo up against Western Michigan's Michael Calderone and Kazuya Komada up 6-5.
In singles play, the Broncos began to rack up the points.
Western Michigan earned the first singles point of the day after Pablo Olivarez defeated Toledo's Robbie McCallum in sixth singles, 6-4, 6-0 to put the Broncos up 2-0 on the day. Bronco Kazuya Komada followed in suit, defeating Burus 6-4, 7-6 (4) to give the Broncos a 3-0 lead on the day.
Toledo wouldn't let their trip to the MAC Championship end in a sweep.
Toledo began a run to tie the game 3-3 with a victory in fifth singles by Jayson Miller. Jayson Miller defeated Western Michigan's Casey Cullen 6-3, 6-3 to put the Rockets within two.
Using the momentum from Jayson Miller's win, Elezovic beat Cullen 6-3, 6-3, putting the score at 3-2. Jayon's twin brother, Jared Miller, used his brother's win to propel him into his own victory, where he beat Western Michigan's Kevin Hayward, 6-1, 6-4. The win sent the match into the final singles match, where Calderone came out on top.
"I think being able to win that final match sums up everything you are as a person," Calderone said. "All the work that all of us put into this comes into that final moment. All of your confidence and insecurities come into play, but I could feel the confidence that my teammates had in me. Their belief that I could win was what helped put me over the top. It's an unbelievable feeling to be in that situation and come through."
While the Broncos were very pleased that they won the conference championship, they have something bigger on their mind.
"We're extremely proud to represent the MAC in the NCAA Tournament for the fourth year in a row," Morin said. "We're not happy, however, just to get into the tournament. Our goal is to win and advance."
The NCAA Tournament for men's tennis begins on May 8.
Photo: Courtesy of Laron Fomby
