Senior Matko Maravic woke up Sunday morning to answered prayers - rain.

"We are a much better indoor team," Maravic said.

And whether it was playing on the indoor courts, having the home crowd's support or knowing that achieving their season goals were so close, the 16th-ranked Wolverines beat No. 17 Texas Tech 4-2 to become NCAA Regional Champions.

"I didn't see a soft spot in our line up today," Michigan coach Bruce Berque said.

The win sends Michigan to its first Sweet 16 in 20 years.

"It really has been something we have had our eye on for a long time," Berque said. "It is just another step for the program."

Last year the Wolverines lost in the second round to Illinois. But this year, Michigan was ranked first of four teams in the regional so they hosted the first two rounds.

The Wolverines barely clinched this home-court advantage. The top 16 seeds host, and Michigan ended the regular season ranked 16th.

Sophomore Mike Sroczynski was the first to finish his single match in the victory. He came back from a 5-1 deficit in the second set to win 6-2, 7-5.

Sroczynski said the home court played an important role in his win.

"I've never been in an atmosphere like this before," he said.

After his match ended and he extended Michigan's lead to 2-0, Sroczynski hid behind his teammates, hardly able to watch the other matches.

"I wanted to give them my full support, but it was very nerve-wracking," he said.

Besides being a monumental game for the team, Sunday's match was Maravic's last home match of his college career. But in his last appearance in Ann Arbor, Maravic wasn't able to finish his doubles match or his singles match.

Michigan clinched the doubles point before Maravic and his partner junior Andrew Mazlin could finish, and Mazlin won the fourth and final point of the match while Maravic sat a court away waiting because his opponent took an injury time out.

But Maravic didn't seem to mind that Mazlin finished his match first, as long as the team won.

Putting the team first is just one of the things the Wolverines will miss from Maravic next season.

"He is the best competitor I have ever seen" Mazlin said.

Maravic's leadership was extremely important against Texas Tech because it helped Michigan come out energized and focused. The Wolverines beat Western Michigan 4-1 Saturday, but looked lackadaisical in their doubles matches.

"I told them that wasn't good enough and Michigan deserved better," Berque said. "I told them today that I wanted them to come out as crazed animals."

The No. 2 doubles pair of Sroczynski and Freshman Jason Jung lost Saturday, but heeded their coach's words and dominated Texas Tech for an 8-1 win.

"We got a little down on ourselves yesterday, but today we made a commitment to each other that we would pick each other up if we got down," Sroczynski said.

The Wolverines will play No. 1 Virginia on Friday. Michigan lost to Virginia 5-2 on Feb. 3rd.

"We know they're a tough team, but anything is possible," Mazlin said.