Buckeyes Edge Bulldogs 4-3, Advance to NCAA Semifinals

Photo Gallery | NCAA Bracket

ORLANDO, Fla. – The No. 3-ranked Ohio State men’s tennis team found themselves in a dogfight against the No. 6-ranked Georgia Bulldogs on a hot and humid Friday afternoon. The Buckeyes proved to be the better team as they advanced with a 4-3 win. The match between the two perennial contenders, initially scheduled for Thursday night, was postponed due to severe weather and rain in the Orlando area.

Georgia would take an early lead after securing the doubles point but the Buckeyes would not let up and scraped for four singles wins. Those four wins were earned by James Trotter, Jack Anthrop, Cannon Kingsley, and a thrilling victory from freshman Alexander Bernard to seal the victory.

Ohio State (33-2) has now won 18-consectutive matches heading into the NCAA semifinal matchup with TCU. This is the Buckeyes seventh trip to the semifinals under head coach Ty Tucker.

Doubles

• The Buckeyes surrendered the doubles point for just the fifth this year and this was the fourth time they rallied to win the overall match.
• Kingsley and JJ Tracy fell at No. three doubles to the Georgia pair of Blake Croyder and Brotton Johnson by a score of 6-3.
• At one doubles, the No. 6-ranked Georgia pair of Ethan Quinn and Trent Bryde got the best of No. 21-ranked Robert Cash and Justin Boulais. The Buckeye duo fought hard but came up short in a 6-3 defeat.

Singles

• After dropping the doubles point, the Buckeyes answered back with exactly what was needed, taking the first set on four courts to start the singles matches.
• Trotter led the way for the Buckeyes in the singles matches, starting with a 2-0 lead in the first set, then finishing off Georgia’s Blake Croyder in straight sets 6-2, 6-2. Trotter is now a remarkable 27-0 on the season in singles matches.
• Boulais battled hard against No. 2-ranked Ethan Quinn, trailing in the first set 5-1 before winning three straight games. Boulais’ push would ultimately come up short in the first set, as Quinn would win it 6-4. Quinn would close out Boulais in the second set 6-2.
• Anthrop, a native of Orlando, was all square 3-3 in the first set against fifth-year senior Teodor Giusca, then would pull away to a 6-4 first set win. The Buckeye would dominate the second set of the match, taking a 6-0 win in the second set to tie the match at 2-2.
• Georgia’s Trent Bryde would take the lead back for the Bulldogs after getting the better No. 22-ranled JJ Tracy at No. 3 singles. The Bulldog won the match in straight sets 6-4, 6-3.
• 11-ranked Kingsley provided a response for the Buckeyes at No. 2 singles against No. 19-ranked Philip Henning. Kingsley would break Henning to end, and win, the first set 6-4. Then, Kingsley would win an exhausting 7-5 second set to tie up the match 3-3.
• It all came down to the freshman Bernard on court five, who was in a close one with Miguel Perez Peña. Bernard secured a pivotal first set win after earning a break to take the lead 3-2 and holding on to win it 6-4. Perez Peña then took a 5-2 lead over Bernard in the second set. But Bernard rallied, overwhelming Perez Peña with his forehand and winning five-straight games to provide the thrilling clinching point 7-5.

Up Next

• Ohio State will now take on the Horned Frogs of TCU on Saturday at noon. No. 2-ranked TCU is coming off a 4-1 quarterfinal win over No. 7 Michigan. On the other side of the bracket, No. 1 Texas takes on No. 5 Virginia. The championship match is set for Sunday at 12:00 noon.

#3 Ohio State 4, #6 Georgia 3

Singles
1. #2 Ethan Quinn (UGA) def. #24 Justin Boulais (OSU) 6-3, 6-2
2. #11 Cannon Kingsley (OSU) def. #19 Philip Henning (UGA) 6-4, 7-5
3. Trent Bryde (UGA) def. #22 JJ Tracy (OSU) 6-4, 6-3
4. #34 James Trotter (OSU) def. Blake Croyder (UGA) 6-2, 6-2
5. #41 Alexander Bernard (OSU) def. Miguel Perez Peña (UGA) 6-4, 7-5
6. Jack Anthrop (OSU) def. Teodor Giusca (UGA) 6-4, 6-0

Doubles
1. #6 Ethan Quinn/Trent Bryde (UGA) def. #21 Robert Cash/Justin Boulais (OSU) 6-3
2. #16 James Trotter/Andrew Lutschaunig (OSU) vs. Philip Henning/Teodor Giusca (UGA) 4-4, unfinished
3. Blake Croyder/Brotton Johnson (UGA) def. Cannon Kingsley/JJ Tracy (OSU) 6-3

Match Notes:
Georgia 23-7; National ranking #6
Ohio State 33-2; National ranking #3
Order of finish: Doubles (3,1); Singles (4,1,6,3,2,5)
NCAA Tournament Quarterfinal
T-3:08

#GoBucks