Women’s Tennis Heads Back to the NCAAs – Ohio State Buckeyes
5/8/2000 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
May 8, 2000
COLUMBUS, Ohio – The No. 26 Buckeyes (17-7) qualified for their second-consecutive NCAA Championship. The squad will face Miami (Fla.) in the opening round of the tournament Saturday at 10 a.m at the Dan Magill Tennis Complex in Athens, Ga. The winner of that match will face the Furman/Georgia winner in the second round Sunday at noon. The regional champion will advance to the NCAA Sweet Sixteen, May 18-21 in Malibu, Calif.
The Big Ten Champions
The Buckeyes, 17-7 overall, posted a stellar mark of 9-1 in the Big Ten during the regular season to claim the first Big Ten Title in program history. The Buckeyes’ previous high was a sixth-place finish, which the squad recorded last season. The nine conference victories are the most-ever in program history, breaking the mark of six set most recently in 1999. Eight of the nine Big Ten squads the Buckeyes defeated were ranked in the Top 75 at the time of the match. The team’s only conference loss was a 5-2 loss at Iowa at the end of OSU’s seven-match road swing.
The Triple Crown
For the second-consecutive season, and the second time in program history, the Buckeyes had a team, singles player and doubles team advance to the NCAA Championships.
OSU’s Team NCAA History
This is the third time the Buckeyes have advanced to the NCAA Tournament as a team. The squad lost to Minnesota in the first round in 1995, and lost to Louisiana State, 5-2, in the opening round last season.
Making History
Kristy Dascoli, the only Buckeye to qualify for the NCAA singles tournament, extended her streak to three-consecutive seasons after qualifying for this year’s singles championship. As a freshman in 1998 she advanced to the second round of the tournament before falling to Julie Scott of Stanford, while last year she was eliminated in the first round by Georgia’s Aarthi Vankatesan.
Double Trouble
The doubles tandem of Dascoli and Monica Rincon qualified for the NCAA Doubles Championship, marking the third time an OSU duo will compete in the tournament. It will be Dascoli’s second trip to the tournament, as she competed with then-partner Briana Harris in the tourney last season. That duo lost a close match to Duke’s No. 3-ranked duo of Vanessa Webb and Karen Goldstein. The tandem of Kelly Story and Abigail Villena was OSU’s first qualifier to the tourney, as they advanced in 1992. The Buckeye Coach
Chuck Merzbacher, the 1999 Big Ten Coach of the Year, is in his fourth year at the helm for the Buckeyes. He recorded his 50th victory at Ohio State earlier this spring. His record at OSU now stands at 53-45, while he holds a mark of 186-108 in his career. In his four seasons with the squad, the team has moved up quickly in the Big Ten, from ninth-place finishes in his first two seasons to this year’s regular-season title.
The Miami Hurricanes
Miami, ranked No. 35 by the ITA, is 12-11 overall this season. The Hurricanes earned an automatic berth to the NCAA Championships after claiming the BIG EAST Championship with a victory over Notre Dame. It was their sixth conference championship in nine seasons. The squad is led by Meredith Laughlin, who earned team MVP honors this season after compiling a mark of 18-11 overall this season.
The Miami Coach
Jay Berger is in his second season at the helm for the Hurricanes’ women’s tennis squad. He is in his third year at the school, as he has served as the head men’s tennis coach since 1997. He led last years women’s team to a Sweet Sixteen appearance at the NCAA Championships. Berger was an All-American at Clemson and played in the professional ranks for six years, where he reached the quarterfinals of both the French Open and U.S. Open and was ranked as high as No. 7 in the world singles rankings.
OSU vs. Miami
Ohio State and Miami have met four times, with the Hurricanes winning each of the previous matches. The two teams met in Miami last season, with the Hurricanes winning, 7-2.
The Georgia Lady Bulldogs
Georgia, ranked No. 2 in the country, has posted a mark of 21-2 overall this season. The Lady Bulldogs claimed the SEC regular-season championship, going a perfect 11-0 in conference play. The squad’s only two losses came against No. 1 Stanford (4-3) at the ITA National Indoor Semifinals and in their last time out against No. 5 Florida (5-1) in the SEC tournament final. Georgia has four players ranked in the top 60 by the ITA: Aarthi Venkatesan (No. 5), Esther Knox (10), Lori Grey (33) and Marissa Catlin (55). In doubles, the duo of Catlin and Grey is ranked No. 2, while Knox and Venkatesan are No. 22. The squad has made 14-consecutive NCAA Championships appearances and claimed the NCAA Title in 1994.
The Georgia Coach
Jeff Wallace is in his 15th season as the head coach at Georgia. He is a two-time national coach of the year and has won SEC Coach of the Year honors four times. His team has reached the “Final Four” six times during the 1990s. Wallace, who competed for Georgia as an undergraduate, has compiled a career mark of 329-81.
OSU vs. Georgia
The two squads have met once before, with the Lady Bulldogs winning, 9-0, in Athens, Ga. in 1983.
The Furman Lady Paladins
Furman is competing in its second-consecutive NCAA Tournament. The Lady Paladins claimed the Southern Conference’s automatic bid after winning both the regular season and conference tournament titles. The squad is 18-7 overall this season and is led by SoCon Player of the Year Megan Dunigan, who is 20-4 at No. 1 singles. Furman was a perfect 9-0 in conference play and lost only one conference singles match during the season.
The Furman Coach
Debbie Southern is in her 17th season at the helm for the Lady Paladins. She has led her squad to nine conference titles and has been named conference coach of the year six times. Southern, a member of the NCAA women’s tennis committee, played collegiately at Tennessee.
OSU vs. Furman
Ohio State leads the series against Furman, 2-1. The teams have split the last two meetings, as the Buckeyes won, 5-4, in 1988 and the Lady Paladins defeated OSU, 5-4, in 1994.
The Big Ten Tourney
After receiving a first-round bye, the Buckeyes won their quarterfinal match in the Big Ten Tournament against Michigan, 4-1. The squad was then eliminated in the semifinals by Minnesota, 4-2. Minnesota went on to face Northwestern in the final match, which the Wildcats won to claim the conference’s automatic bid to the NCAA Championships.
In the Rankings
The Buckeyes, currently ranked No. 26 by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association, reached a program-high mark of No. 22 earlier this season.
Player of the Month
Kristy Dascoli was named the Big Ten co-Women’s Tennis Athlete of the Month for April. (She shared the honor with Minnesota’s Kim Simonsen.) Dascoli was honored for putting together a then-12-match winning streak, including a perfect 7-0 mark in April. She was also undefeated in doubles during April, teaming up with Monica Rincon to post a mark of 8-0 at No. 1.
Topping the Chart
Rincon claimed the all-time single-season singles victory record after winning in the first round of the Big Ten Tournament against Michigan. Her 30 wins broke the previous record held by Maria Olazagatsti, who posted 29 victories in 1977.
The Big Ten is Tough
In addition to the Buckeyes, six Big Ten teams were selected to participate in the NCAA team championships. Northwestern, who earned the Big Ten’s automatic bid, Minnesota, Indiana, Iowa and Illinois will also compete in the first round of the tourney.
Record Setters
The Buckeyes’ 17 wins this season rank second all-time in program history. The all-time program record for wins in a season was set in 1983, when that squad went 18-17 overall.
Winning Streaks
The Buckeyes set a new program record with their nine-match winning streak. The team broke the old mark of six, set in 1987. This season’s streak was broken in the Buckeyes’ loss to Minnesota in the semifinals of the conference tournament.
OSU vs. The Tourney Teams
Ohio State faced 10 tournament-bound teams during the regular season, posting a mark of 4-7 in those matches. The Buckeyes recorded wins over Minnesota, Illinois, Purdue and Indiana, while they were defeated by Duke, Notre Dame, Kentucky, Tennessee, San Diego State, Iowa and Minnesota.
A Formidable Duo
The Buckeyes’ No. 1 doubles tandem of Dascoli and Rincon, which is on a 10-match winning streak, moved to No. 23 in the most recent rankings by the ITA. The duo had reached a high of No. 20 after entering the polls at No. 43. They are 18-5 this season.
The 20-Win Club
Four Buckeyes have reached the 20-win mark so far this season, while one has even reached the 30-win plateau. Rincon leads the squad with an overall record of 30-9, while Dascoli is right behind with a mark of 28-9. Pervez is 26-13 this season, while Matko is 25-10.
Tough at Two
Rincon has led the Buckeyes in wins all spring. She ranks first on the team with an overall mark of 30-9 and was 8-2 against Big Ten opponents. She has won 19 of her last 23 matches and recently put together a five-match winning streak. She received her first national rankings earlier this season, reaching a high of No. 77, and is currently ranked No. 101 (tied).
In the Polls
After earning the highest ranking in program history earlier this season, Dascoli broke her own mark in the singles rankings released by the ITA March 29. In that poll Dascoli was ranked No. 32 in the nation, topping her previous high of No. 36 (tied) set earlier this season. Dascoli is currently ranked No. 40 in the nation.
Beating the Big Ten
Dascoli has compiled a career mark of 27-3 against conference opponents since her freshman year. This season she was a perfect 9-0 against Big Ten foes, while last year she was a stellar 10-1. She led conference No. 1 singles players in Big Ten wins during the regular season.
The National Team Rankings
The Buckeyes received the highest ranking of the season, and in program history, in the April 26 rankings by the ITA.
The Buckeyes’ rankings are as follows: Fall 38 Feb. 2 35 Feb. 9 36 Feb. 16 33 Feb. 23 34 March 1 33 March 8 31 March 15 T34 March 22 31 March 29 45 April 5 40 April 19 27 April 26 22 May 1 26
The Rankings in the Big Ten
Including Ohio State, eight of the Big Ten teams are ranked in the Top 75: Northwestern, 16th, Ohio State, 26th, Minnesota, 29th, Illinois, 35th, Iowa, 42nd, Indiana, 45th, Purdue, 57th and Michigan, 59th. Only Michigan State, Penn State and Wisconsin are not ranked.
Last Year’s Leaders
Rincon and Matko, the only Buckeyes to reach 20 wins last season, are each having strong seasons once again. Rincon leads the team with an overall mark of 30-9, while Matko is 25-10. Rincon has exceeded her win total from last season by seven, while Matko recorded 21 victories as a freshman. Each player has been ranked by the ITA at some point this season.
Home Sweet Home
The Buckeyes ended their home season a perfect 11-0 this season. With the 11-consecutive home victories, the Buckeyes set program records for most home wins in a season and most consecutive home wins. The old mark of eight home wins was set in 1990 and tied in 1999, while the consecutive-wins at home record of six was also set in 1990 and tied in 1999.
OSU vs. the Ranked
The Buckeyes have gone 11-7 against ranked opponents so far this season. The squad recorded wins over two Top 25 teams – No. 15 Northwestern and No. 25 Marquette – as well as compiling eight other wins against teams in the national Top 75 (No. 28 Illinois, No. 41 Kansas, No. 47 Indiana, No. 56 Purdue, No. 57 Michigan (two times), No. 60 Minnesota, No. 61 Penn State and No. 66 Wisconsin). Rankings listed are from when the match was played. The squad’s losses to ranked opponents were against four Top 25 teams and three Top 75 squads. Last year, the team was 3-9 over ranked opponents, including a mark of 1-6 against teams in the national Top 25.
Leading the Way in Doubles
Overall, Rincon has also compiled the most doubles wins for the squad, with a record of 26-9 this year. Dascoli ranks second with a mark of 23-10.
Moving Up in the Record Book
With a career singles record of 72-32, Dascoli is in third place all-time on the career singles wins list. She needs seven victories to move into second place and nine singles wins to become the program’s all-time leader. The current leader is Maria Olazagatsti, who compiled a record of 81-20 from 1977-79. Dascoli is currently in ninth place all-time on the career-doubles wins list with 65. The all-time leader in that category is Kelly Story, who went 118-60 from 1989-92.
Ending Strong
The Buckeyes finished their regular season on a positive note, as the team won its last eight matches, including defeating six ranked teams.
The Team Records
As a team, the Buckeyes have recorded an overall singles mark of 154-105 this season for a winning percentage of 59 percent. The squad has gone 60-44 in doubles this year for a winning percentage of 58 percent. The squad was strong in conference singles, as it has won 67 percent of its matches, going 40-20 this spring.
Staying Competitive
The Buckeyes have not been shutout since a 9-0 loss to Duke, Feb. 13, 1999. Since Merzbacher took over the program, the squad has only failed to win at least one match just three times. Ohio State was not shutout in any matches in 1998 and only suffered two blankings in 1997, Merzbacher’s first season with the team.
Strong at the Top
The Buckeyes have recorded a mark of 41-6 at the top two singles spots so far this season. Dascoli, Matko and Rincon have each tallied wins at No. 1, while Rincon, Matko and Pervez have all chipped in wins at No. 2.
A Tough Road
During the season, the Buckeyes had a stretch of seven-consecutive road matches in which each opponent was ranked in the Top 75 by the ITA, including three Top 25 squads. Ohio State went 2-5 on that road swing.
Keep Up with the Bucks
Information on the Buckeyes’ women’s tennis team is available on-line at ohiostatebuckeyes.com. Releases as well as statistics and match recaps are available.Information is also available on Ohio State’s 34 other varsity teams.
