MIU vs Cornell College

JR Varsity Match

3/1/2025

The team match began with doubles matches, each consisting of one set. Winning two out of three matches awarded the victorious team one overall team point. This was followed by six singles matches, where the winner of each match earned one team point. To secure the overall team victory, a team needed to accumulate at least four out of seven possible points. Since MIU brought eight players, Cornell added two extra singles matches to ensure that all MIU players could compete. However, matches #7 and #8 did not count toward the team total.

MIU lost all three doubles matches, putting the team at an early disadvantage of one point. In the #1 singles match, Cuong Do was overmatched by a strong opponent, falling 6-3, 6-0. However, Thanh Nguyen quickly responded with a commanding win at #2 singles, 6-1, 6-0. The #3 match turned into an extended battle, where Juan Jose won the first set, tightened up and lost the second, but regained his composure to close out the match with a 10-6 victory in the tiebreak. Jamil Johnson dominated most of his match, and despite a second-set rally from his opponent, secured a 6-1, 6-4 win. Meanwhile, Nicolo Bonasera struggled with his serve and the late afternoon lighting on his court. Although he found his rhythm later in the match, he ultimately fell 6-0, 6-3.

The #6 match became a dramatic finale, with players from both teams cheering from the sidelines as Jacob Sanditen and his opponent engaged in long rallies. In a fiercely contested match, Jacob prevailed with a 6-3, 3-6 (11-9) tiebreak win.

Jacob amazed both his teammates and perhaps even himself with a brilliant display of focus and composure, overcoming a determined and highly skilled opponent.

By the end, MIU found itself in possession of its first team tennis victory in decades, marking a significant milestone after the long hiatus since MIU last fielded a team. Throughout the match, the Cornell players cheered each other on with enthusiastic shouts of “Go Rams!” After securing the win, the MIU team gathered together and echoed that same cheer in appreciation of their competitive experience.

Although Cornell won all three doubles matches and both extra singles matches—giving them a total of seven match wins to MIU’s four—the match scoring system and two razor-thin tiebreak losses ultimately left them short of the overall victory.

Several Cornell players from the top six volunteered to play two matches, ensuring that MIU’s #7 player, Tarush Bhatia, and #8 player, John Saunders, had an opportunity to compete. However, this led to losses for both MIU players.

Even so, Tarush noted that he played his best tennis ever and expressed a strong desire for more match play in practice. John Saunders, MIU’s racket and pro player aficionado, struggled with playing on rubberized indoor courts for the second consecutive match and yearned for outdoor play, his preferred setting. Nonetheless, he took pride in having just one double fault in his entire match—a major step forward in his game that he hopes will pay off in the future.

The MIU team will now turn its focus to an intense week of practice in preparation for Saturday’s trip to face the Luther College JV team in Decorah, Iowa.