EAST LANSING, Mich. – The University of Toledo men's tennis team gave Michigan State all it could handle in a 4-3 loss in East Lansing on Saturday, then turned around and came up with its first dual-meet victory of the season, a 5-2 win over Bucknell.

"It was a pretty solid day for us," head coach Al Wermer said. "I see more improvements in our physical and mental endurance and toughness. The MSU match proved how critical the doubles point is, and Bucknell fought all the way until the end."

Sophomore Pawit Sornlaksup and junior Luka Jankovic led the Rockets by each going 2-0 in singles play on the day.

In the morning session, Michigan State got on the board first with the doubles point from the wins on the No. 2 and No. 3 courts, leaving Toledo's Marko Galic and Pawit Sornlaksup unfinished on the No. 1 court.

Junior Luka Jankovic tied the match 1-1 with a two-set win on the No. 6 courts over Kazuki Matsuno (6-2, 6-1).  Junior Marko Galic won on the No. 4 court for the Rockets in a tough two-set victory over Nick Williams, 6-2, 7-6. On the No. 1 court, Sornlaksup had a huge victory taking the second and third set for the win over Jack Winkler 2-6, 6-4, 10-8.  Michigan State won on courts 2, 3 and 5 to secure the team victory.

The Rockets faced Bucknell in the afternoon, and got on the board first with the doubles point from wins on the No. 1 and No. 3 courts. Toledo controlled four of the six singles matches, with big wins coming from Sornlaksup on the No. 1 court and Jankovic at No. 5.

The Rockets will head back to Toledo for their home-opening weekend at Shadow Valley Tennis Club with matches vs. Northwestern Ohio and Wayne State on Friday, Feb. 4.

Toledo Results

Michigan State 4, Toledo 3

Doubles
1. Nick Williams/ Kazuki Matsuno (MSU) vs Marko Galic/ Pawit Sornlaksup (TOL), unfinished
2. Jack Winkler/ Reed Crocker (MSU) def. Adam Kovac/ Krzysztof Wetoszka (TOL), 6-4
3. Carson Gates/ Max Sheldon (MSU) def. Luis Kleinschnitz/ Luka Jankovic (TOL), 6-3

Singles
1. Pawit Sornlaksup (TOL) def. Jack Winkler (MSU) 2-6, 6-4, 10-8
2. Carson Gates (MSU) def. Adam Kovac (TOL) 6-3, 6-1
3. Max Sheldon (MSU) def. Krzysztof Wetoszka (TOL) 6-2, 6-4
4. Marko Galic (TOL) def. Nick Williams (MSU) 6-2, 7-6
5. Luke Baylis (MSU) def. Luis Kleinschnitz (TOL) 6-1, 6-2
6. Luka Jankovic (TOL) def. Kazuki Matsuno 6-2, 6-1
 

Toledo 5, Bucknell 2

Doubles
1. Marko Galic/ Pawit Sornlaksup (TOL) def. Michael Owen/ Nick Muller (BU) 6-3
2. Adam Kovac/ Luka Jankovic (TOL) vs. Tim Zelikovsky/ Ink Chen (BU) unfinished
3. Vlad Meluta/ Krzysztof Wetoszka (TOL) def. Nicolas Grunig/ Per Astrom (BU) 6-0

Singles
1. Pawit Sornlaksup (TOL) def. Nick Mueller (BU) 4-6, 6-4, 10-5
2.  Michawl Owen (BU) def. Adam Kovac (TOL) 6-3, 5-7, 10-8
3. Tim Zelikovsky (BU) def. Marko Galic (TOL) 3-6, 6-4, 10-8
4. Krzysztof Wetoszka (TOL) def. Ink Chen (BU) 6-1, 6-2
5. Luka Jankovic (TOL) def. Nicolas Grunig (BU) 6-0, 6-3
6.  Luis Kleinschnitz (TOL) def. Per Astrom (BU) 6-2, 6-3