MADISON, Wis.  — The No. 52 Wisconsin men's tennis team earned their first Big Ten Conference victory of the season Sunday afternoon versus Michigan State at Nielsen Tennis Stadium. The Badgers (8-6, 1-1 B1G) downed the Spartans (6-9, 0-2 B1G) 5-2 putting them back in the win column. 

The team put on yet another stellar doubles performance. With an injury shaking up the lineups, grad student Jared Pratt teamed up with junior Mihailo Popovic for the first doubles win of the match. The duo took five straight games to go up 5-0 before Michigan State fired back and kept them from finishing the match. In the end, Pratt and Hildebrandt came away with an impressive 6-1 victory at No. 3 doubles over David Saye and Max Sheldon. 

After Michigan State grabbed the second doubles win at No. 1, Robin Parts and Sebastian Vile clinched the lead for the Badgers at No. 2 doubles. The pair of seniors earned their 11th overall win of the season, which leads the team, and the match lead for Wisconsin by beating Josh Portnoy and Luke Baylis, 6-4. 

Singles were up next and the Badgers quickly ran away with the lead. 

Popovic struck the first blow at No. 2 singles, with a dominant 6-1, 6-2 win over Sheldon that started a streak of Badger victories. The win was Popovic's fourth at No. 2 singles for the season, and his fifth overall. 

Shortly thereafter, Vile and Huber recorded back-to-back wins to secure the team victory.

Vile grabbed a win and put the Badgers up 3-0. He defeated Baylis 6-2, 6-4 at No. 3 singles with one swing of his racquet, an ace to end the match. 

After easily taking the first set 6-1, Huber had to fight off Michigan State's Anthony Pero for a second set that ended in extra games. Ultimately, Huber had the necessary fight in him to come out on top 7-5 at No. 4 singles and clinch the win for the Badgers. 

Freshman Michael Minasyan added to the Wisconsin lead with a win at No. 5 singles. A pair of 6-4 wins earned Minasyan his ninth win of the season and his third in a row after an impressive singles victory Friday evening versus Michigan, leaving him undefeated in Big Ten singles play.

Up Next: The Badgers hit the road for the first time during conference play for a Friday night match at Penn State before traveling to Columbus for a Sunday matchup at Ohio State. 

#52 Wisconsin 5, #74 Michigan State 2

Singles Results
1. #51Ozan Baris (MSU) def. Jared Pratt (WIS) 6-4, 6-1
2. Mihailo Popovic (WIS) def. Max Sheldon (MSU) 6-1, 6-2
3. Sebastian Vile (WIS) def. Luke Baylis (MSU) 6-2, 6-4
4. Gabriel Huber (WIS) def. Anthony Pero (MSU)  6-1, 7-5
5. Michael Minasyan (WIS) def. Graydon Lair (MSU) 6-4, 6-4
6. Max Sheldon (MSU) def. Robin Parts (WIS) 6-2, 1-6, 7-6 (9-7)

Doubles Results
1. Ozan Baris/Anthony Pero (MSU) def. #41 Gabriel Huber/Michael Minasyan (WIS) 6-3
2. Robin Parts/Sebastian Vile (WIS) def. Josh Portnoy/Luke Baylis (MSU) 6-4
3. Jared Pratt/Mihailo Popovic (WIS) def. David Saye/Max Sheldon (MSU) 6-1

Order of finish: Doubles (3, 1, 2); Singles (2, 3, 4, 5, 1, 6)