In a remarkable come-from-behind win fueled by two thrilling tie-breaker victories in the singles matches, the MIU tennis team prevailed against a Cornell College squad in the spring season’s first match-up.

MIU fell behind early, losing all three doubles matches. (The doubles matches are one set each, with the team winning at least two of the three receiving one team point, while the singles matches count for one point each, for a total of seven possible points.)

MIU also lost the #1 singles match, with Cuong Do getting outplayed 6-3, 6-0 by a strong opponent.

Then the comeback started.

In the #2 singles match, Thanh Nguyen posted a commanding 6-1, 6-0 win.

The #3 match turned into an extended battle, with MIU student Juan Jose winning the first set, then tightening up and losing the second. But he regained his focus in the third set, closing out the match with a decisive 10-6 victory in the tiebreaker.

Jamil Johnson dominated most of his #4 match, securing a 6-1, 6-4 win despite a second-set rally from his opponent.

In the #5 match, 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.

At this point the team score was 3 to 3.

In the sixth and deciding match, Jacob Sanditen found himself in a high-stakes showdown, fighting through long rallies. He won the first set 6-3, then lost the second 3-6. When the third set reached 6-6, it went into a tiebreaker. With the fiercely contested match on the line, Jacob delivered an electrifying 11-9 tiebreak win, securing the crucial fourth point MIU needed for victory.

“Jacob amazed both his teammates and perhaps even himself, overcoming a determined and highly skilled opponent with a brilliant display of focus and composure,” said coach Paul Stokstad.

With that match, MIU found itself in possession of its first team tennis victory since it last fielded a team 20 years ago.

The MIU players celebrated by echoing Cornell’s own chant — “Go Rams!” — in recognition of the hard-fought competition.

Since MIU brought eight players, Cornell graciously added two extra singles matches so that all MIU players could compete, with two Cornell players volunteering to play them, although those matches did not count toward the team total. This enabled MIU’s #7 player, Tarush Bhatia, and #8 player, John Saunders, to compete.

The Cornell players won both of these matches, giving Cornell a total of seven match wins to MIU’s four. But the match scoring system and two razor-thin tiebreak losses ultimately left Cornell short of the overall victory.

“This incredible performance marked a historic milestone for the program,” Stokstad said. “Although Cornell technically won more total matches, MIU’s ability to perform under pressure and capture the most pivotal moments proved decisive. The win came as a testament to the team’s resilience, determination, and ability to rise to the occasion in clutch situations.”

Reporting by Paul Stokstad