Buckeyes Beat No. 21 Illinois for Third Time This Season

COLUMBUS, Ohio – For the third time this season, No. 2-ranked Ohio State took down No. 21 Illinois, sweeping the Fighting Illini 4-0 on a beautiful sunny afternoon in Champaign. The Buckeyes are now 19-2 on the season and 2-0 in Big Ten play.

This is the seventh consecutive season in which Ohio State swept the Northwestern/Illinois regular season weekend, following the 4-1 win over the Wildcats in Evanston on Friday night.

The Buckeyes dominated the doubles point and then saw four of the singles match go to a third set. JJ Tracy and Jack Anthrop won their singles matches in straight sets and then James Trotter provided the clinching point with a 6-2 victory his third set.

Doubles

• Ohio State was in control of the doubles point from the start. Cannon Kingsley and JJ Tracy were on top the whole way, winning their match on court three 6-2.
• The remaining two matches on courts 1 and 2 were both 5-4 in favor of the Buckeyes and both Buckeye duos were serving for the victory. And on both courts, the Buckeyes raced to 40-0 leads. Robert Cash and Justin Boulais won the race to four points, beating Oliver Okonkwo and Mathis Debru 6-4. James Trotter and Andrew Lutschaunig were just a point away from knocking-off Hunter Heck and Karlis Ozolins.

Singles

• The singles point didn’t come as easy. The teams split the first sets 3-3 and four of the matches would go to a third set.
• The Buckeyes raced out to a 3-0 team lead as JJ Tracy and Jack Anthrop won their matches in straight sets. Tracy beat William Mroz 6-1, 6-2 for his 19^th win of the season. The freshman Anthrop dominated graduate student Nic Meister 6-2, 6-1, and the Buckeyes were one point away.
• Trotter, Kingsley and Alexander Bernard all dropped the first set but turned around to win the second. Justin Boulais won his opening set before losing the second 6-4.
• Trotter was the one to provide the clinching point as he rolled Alex Petrov 6-2 in the third to remain perfect on the season at 17-0.
• Kingsley and Bernard were on serve in their third sets while Boulais was down 5-1.

Up Next

• The Buckeyes return home to host Nebraska and Wisconsin next weekend. The match with the Huskers is slated for a 6 p.m. start at the Ty Tucker Tennis Center. The match against Wisconsin will start at noon on Sunday.

#2 Ohio State 4, #21 Illinois 0

Singles
1. #12 Cannon Kingsley (OSU) vs. #33 Karlis Ozolins (ILL) 6-7 (7-3), 6-4, 4-4, unfinished
2. #53 Justin Boulais (OSU) vs. Hunter Heck (ILL) 6-2, 4-6, 1-5, unfinished
3. #25 James Trotter (OSU) def. #115 Alex Petrov (ILL) 4-6, 6-3, 6-2
4. #15 JJ Tracy (OSU) def. William Mroz (ILL) 6-1, 6-2
5. #63 Alexander Bernard (OSU) vs. Oliver Okonkwo (ILL) 3-6, 7-5, 3-4, unfinished
6. Jack Anthrop (OSU) def. Nic Meister (ILL) 6-2, 6-1

Doubles
1. #7 Andrew Lutschaunig/James Trotter (OSU) vs. #49 Karlis Ozolins/Hunter Heck (ILL) 5-4, unfinished
2. #36 Justin Boulais/Robert Cash (OSU) def. #56 Oliver Okonkwo/Mathis Debru (ILL) 6-4
3. Cannon Kingsley/JJ Tracy (OSU) def. Kenta Miyoshi/Alex Petrov (ILL) 6-2

Match Notes:
Ohio State 13-8; National ranking #21
Illinois 19-2; National ranking #2
Order of finish: Doubles (3,2); Singles (4,6,3)

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