Women’s Tennis Comes Back to Columbus – Ohio State Buckeyes
3/5/2002 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
March 5, 2002
COLUMBUS, Ohio-The Ohio State women’s tennis team (10-2, 2-1 Big Ten) plays host to three matches this weekend. The Buckeyes will face Cincinnati (6-5) at 5 p.m. Wednesday and have a doubleheader with Bowling Green (1-6) at 9 a.m. and Drake (3-4) at 6 p.m. Saturday. The Cincinnati match will be played indoors at Jesse Owens West Recreation Center, while the Saturday matches are scheduled for outdoors at the Stickney Tennis Center. Those matches may be moved inside in the event of inclement weather. Drake and BGSU will face off at 1 p.m. Saturday as well.
In The Rankings
The Buckeyes were ranked 38th in the most recent release of the Omni Hotels Collegiate Tennis Rankings administered by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (Feb. 27). The new rankings will be released March 6.
The Individuals
The Buckeyes hold positions in the Omni Hotels Collegiate Tennis Rankings in singles. Sophomore Erica Fisk is the highest ranked Buckeye, with a career-high ranking of No. 49. Sadhaf Pervez, a junior, is ranked 82nd, while senior Monica Rincon is 85th in the nation. The Buckeyes have no ranked doubles teams. New rankings will be released March 6.
How The Rankings Work
A player or team’s average used for ranking is determined by: taking the total number of ranking points (based on their seven best wins) divided by the number of countable matches played (determined by the ITA – it is seven this week) added to points from losses. The ranking points for wins and losses are based on the opponent’s ranking in the nation and change every week. A more thorough explanation is available on-line at www.itatennis.com.
Putting it On the Line
The Buckeyes will look to extend their eight-game home winning streak Wednesday against Cincinnati. The program record for consecutive wins at home is 11, set in 2000.
Scouting the UC Bearcats
Cincinnati enters the match with Ohio State on a three-match winning streak. The squad is 6-5 overall and has won five of its last six matches.
In singles, the team is led by Khushchehr Italia, who is 20-12 this season, including a mark of 4-1 at No. 3 singles. Jen Capuzzi plays at No. 1 singles for the squad. The duo combines to play No. 1 doubles for the Bearcats.
Carol Tanner is in her 11th year at the helm for Cincinnati. Her career mark stands at 113-129.
The Series
The Buckeyes never have lost to Cincinnati, leading the all-time series, 11-0.
The Last Meeting
Ohio State beat the Bearcats, 8-1, Feb. 16, 2000, in Columbus. The squad swept the doubles matches and won five-of-six singles matches, including two-set victories by Monica Rincon, Michelle Matko, Sadhaf Pervez and Laura Maloney. Katherine Martin came back to win in three sets.
Scouting the Bowling Green Falcons
Bowling Green, a member of the Mid-American Conference, enters this weekend with a record of 1-6 overall after falling to Cincinnati, 7-0, last weekend. Lisa Maloney plays at No. 1 singles for the Falcons, while Devon Bissinger and Susan Schoenberger pair up at No. 1 doubles.
Penny Dean is in her 12th season at the helm of the Falcons, with a record of 121-111. She carries a career record of 167-155 in over 15 years.
The Series
Ohio State has never lost to Bowling Green, winning all 21 matches between the schools.
The Last Meeting
The Buckeyes and Falcons last met Jan. 18, 1998, with the Buckeyes winning, 7-0. No members of this year’s team were on that squad.
Scouting the Drake Bulldogs
Drake enters the matches Saturday with an overall mark of 3-4. The squad is 1-0 in the Missouri Valley Conference. The team has lost its last four matches after beginning the year 3-0.
Leading the Bulldogs is Cecily Dubusker, who was ranked No. 100 in the country. She has won six-of-her last seven matches, all at No. 1 singles. Her only loss was to No. 71 Vanessa Rauh of Wisconsin.
Ryun Ferrell is in his third season at the helm of the Bulldogs. His all-time record stands at 31-23.
The Series
The Buckeyes and Bulldogs never have met on the tennis court.
A Big Jump
Sophomore Erica Fisk and junior Sadhaf Pervez earned the first national rankings of their careers in the rankings released by the ITA Feb. 22.
Stopped
Sophomore Lindsay Williams had her 10-match winning streak stopped against Notre Dame. Williams had opened the spring with wins in her first 10 matches, mainly at the No. 5 position. This season, she is 13-7 overall.
The Leaders
Erica Fisk and Monica Rincon are tied for the team lead with 16 singles wins each.
On a Roll
Senior Monica Rincon is 9-1 in the spring season, with all of her matches at the No. 1 position. Her only loss of the dual match season came against No. 71-ranked Vanessa Rauh of Wisconsin. Against Notre Dame, Rincon topped No. 73 Becky Varnum in a match tiebreaker.
Climbing the Charts
Monica Rincon’s 92 career wins place her second on OSU’s all-time singles wins list. At the ITA Midwest Regional Tournament Oct. 28, Rincon picked up her 81st and 82nd career wins, catapulting her ahead of Maria Olazagatsti (1977-79, 81-20) into second place. OSU’s all-time singles wins leader is Kristy Dascoli, who finished her career (1998-01) with 104 wins.
A Good Sign
When the Buckeyes win the doubles point this season, they are 10-1. The squad has failed to win the doubles point in just one match this season (at Wisconsin).
The Best
The Buckeyes’ 8-0 record (with all the wins coming at home) was the best start to a season for the program since at least the 1985-86 season. The squad’s mark for consecutive wins is nine, set in the 2000 season.
In The Conference
The Buckeyes are 2-1 in the Big Ten Conference so far this season. The squad has wins over Penn State and Minnesota and fell to Wisconsin.
At the Helm
Chuck Merzbacher is in his sixth season at the helm. He has enjoyed much success since becoming the head man at OSU, compiling an 81-59 record. Under the guidance of Merzbacher the program has sent the team, a singles player and a doubles tandem to the NCAA Championships the past three years. In his tenure at OSU, Merzbacher has coached two All-Americans, a two-time Big Ten Player of the Year, a Big Ten Freshman of the Year and two ITA Midwest Region Players to Watch.
A Milestone
The win over Penn State marked the 75th victory for head coach Chuck Merzbacher at the helm of the Buckeyes. He is the fastest in Buckeye history to reach 75 wins. For his career, spanning more than 11 years, he is 212-121.
Last Time Out
The Buckeyes split their two matches on the road last weekend, falling to No. 20 Notre Dame, 5-2, before rebounding to beat DePaul, 5-2.
Upset
The Buckeyes’ unranked doubles tandem of Meaghan Colville and Monica Rincon beat Notre Dame’s No. 30-ranked Lindsey Green and Becky Varnum, 8-6, Saturday. The Ohio State duo is 7-3 this spring.
The Doubles Story
The Buckeyes are 30-6 in doubles matches this spring. The squad has swept the doubles matches in seven matches and has lost the doubles point just once. The squad was swept in doubles by Wisconsin, lost two doubles matches to Notre Dame and lost one doubles match each to Maryland, Minnesota and DePaul.
Consistent
Perhaps the most steady Buckeye doubles team is the duo of Michelle Matko and Lindsay Williams. The two competed in all three tournaments together and recorded an overall record of 5-3. They are 10-2 in the spring season for an overall record of 15-5.
Home Cooking
The Buckeyes defend their home turf well. They are off to a perfect 8-0 start this year, continuing their success at home. Last year the squad was 7-3 when playing at home and was a perfect 11-0 in 1999-00. Since the 1999-00 season OSU is 26-3 when playing in Columbus.
Winners Everywhere
Ohio State has won 51-of-74 singles matches it has competed in, with a number of players playing at a number of positions. Monica Rincon, Sadhaf Pervez and Michelle Matko all have won matches at No. 1 this year. Michelle Matko and Lindsay Williams are the only Buckeyes to play in all 12 team matches.
One Away
The Buckeyes have 99 wins this season, one win away from the century mark for singles wins as a team this year.
Doubles Figures
Five Buckeyes – Erica Fisk, Michelle Matko, Sadhaf Pervez, Monica Rincon and Lindsay Williams – all have posted 10 or more singles wins this season. The team is led by Fisk and Rincon’s 16 victories each this year. Pervez is second with 14, while Williams and Matko are tied with 13.
A Tough Road
This season, the Buckeyes will face or have faced 15 teams ranked by the ITA in the rankings released Feb. 27. Upcoming opponents include Kentucky (11), Northwestern (14), Indiana (26), Illinois (35t), Iowa (50), Purdue (66), Michigan (70) and Michigan State (75t). The Buckeyes have defeated Kansas (59), Penn State (69), Maryland (72), DePaul (73) and Virginia Tech (75t). OSU’s only losses came against No. 35 (tied) Wisconsin and No. 20 Notre Dame.
The Ending
The Buckeyes last eight opponents all are ranked in the Top 75 by the ITA.
At The Top
The Buckeyes are 11-1 at No. 1 singles this season. Three Buckeyes – Michelle Matko (1-0), Sadhaf Pervez (1-0) and Monica Rincon (9-1) – have combined for the stellar record.
Nearly Perfect
The Buckeyes have lost just one match at No. 2 doubles this season, posting a combined mark of 11-1. The tandem of Erica Fisk and Sadhaf Pervez lead the way with a 9-1 record at the position.
Into the Top
With 65 and 63 career singles wins respectively, Sadhaf Pervez and Michelle Matko moved into the Top 10 all-time in program history in singles wins. Pervez is tied for eighth (with Ann Beaudoin, 1979-81), while Matko is tied for 10th (with Sue Walton, 1977-80).
All-Time Singles Wins at OSU
1. Kristy Dascoli, 104 (1988-01) 2. Monica Rincon, 92 (1999-present) 3. Maria Olazagatski, 81 (1977-79) 4. Linda Magid, 78 (1995-96) 5. Leann Grimes, 68 (1975-78) 6. Ann Wilson, 67 (1974-77) 7. Abigail Villena, 66 (1990-93) 8. Ann Beaudoin, 65 (1971-82) 8. Sadhaf Pervez, 65 (2000-present) 10. Sue Walton, 63 (1976-79) 10. Michelle Matko, 63 (1999-present)
Rebounders
The Buckeyes have rebounded from both of their losses this season with a win. They have not lost more than one match in a row this spring.
Next up for the Buckeyes
The Buckeyes remain at home, playing host to Boston University March 16 and Big Ten foe Iowa March 17. The squad then will be on the road for five consecutive matches.
