Although it was Senior Day for the No. 2 Michigan women’s tennis team, it was sophomore Lily Jones who showed dominance against her opponents from Nebraska. Jones winning every set she played in helped the Wolverines earn a 4-0 shutout and Big Ten regular season championship.
During the doubles set, Jones and her partner junior Julia Fliegner recorded a 6-1 win over Nebraska’s Isabel Adrover Gallego and Lucy Loy. The success in doubles was a result of the pair’s teamwork and familiarity with each other. It also continued the Wolverines’ successes against their Big Ten opponents, being undefeated in the conference.
“They’ve known each other a long time, we’ve had them playing doubles together, so I feel like they complement each other,” Michigan coach Ronni Bernstein said about Jones and Fliegner.
Jones’ dominant style during doubles only elevated during her singles sets against Nebraska graduate student Maja Pietrowicz. The competitive balance between the two players with ball-dropping being a rare occurrence showed Jones’ expertise despite being an underclassman, consistently beating a player with several more years of experience than her. In the first set, Jones cruised to a 6-0 shutout. Though there were several games in which Pietrowicz had an opportunity to steal the lead, Jones consistently pushed her way back in front. However, in the second set, Pietrowicz gained a sharper edge, motivated by her prior defeat, winning two of the first three games in the set.
“(Pietrowicz) started playing better and she came to the net a lot, which was surprising,” Jones said.
Pietrowicz’s surprising style of play didn’t stop Jones from continuing her winning streak, though. Jones quickly came back and won the set 6-2. Jones’ success was not only defined by her skill, but also by her energy, which remained persistent throughout the match.
“I’m always carrying this energy,” Jones said. “Keeping it up and trying to be aggressive, I just went as fast as I could. I just wanted to finish strong.”
Jones’ strong finish in both her singles and doubles matches were key in the Wolverines’ second consecutive Big Ten regular season title. If Michigan wants to continue its success in the Big Ten Tournament, Jones will need to keep up her strong performances. Despite the day being a celebration for the seniors, the sophomore has started to create a legacy for herself.