Ohio State
Arkansas
Buckeyes Drop Heartbreaker to No. 31 Arkansas, 4-3 – Ohio State Buckeyes
2/26/2012 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
Feb. 26, 2012
COLUMBUS, Ohio – The 64th-ranked Ohio State women’s tennis team fell, 4-3, to No. 31 Arkansas at home Sunday afternoon in the Varsity Tennis Center.
Ohio State continues its 2012 slate with a trip to Eugene, Ore., where it will face Oregon March 4 before traveling to Louisiana to take on Tulane March 18 and LSU March 20. The Scarlet and Gray returns home to host Purdue March 23.
The Buckeyes (5-6, 0-1 Big Ten) rallied with three singles wins to tie the match at 3-3 before Arkansas (7-3, 0-0 SEC) claimed the court one decision to pick up the victory.
“I’m very proud of the way everyone is playing,” Chuck Merzbacher, Ohio State head coach, said after the 4-hour contest. “They are fighting hard and competing well. There are a couple points we wish we could get back, but we have been in the position to win all year. I’m especially proud of the composure our team has had across the board.”
The Razorbacks held an early lead after taking the doubles point. Ohio State’s junior tandem of Fidan Manashirova and Gabby Steele defeated Kate Lukomskaya and Catherine Parenteau, 9-7, on court three.
Claudine Paulson stretched the Arkansas lead to 2-0 with a win over Manashirova, ranked 123rd nationally in singles, 6-3, 6-0, before freshman Kelsey Dieters put the Buckeyes on the board with a 6-0, 7-6 (5) victory against Lukomskaya on court four.
Down 3-1, Steele rallied to defeat Laurie Gingras, 6-4, 3-6, 6-4, and senior Kelsey Haviland earned a comeback win over Stephanie Roy, 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, to tie the match at 3-3.
On court one, junior Kara Cecil bounced back from a first-set tiebreaker loss to take a 5-4 lead in the second set, but couldn’t hold off Emily Carbone as the Razorback forced a second tiebreaker. The two exchanged leads, but Carbone claimed the tiebreaker, 8-6, and the match, 7-6 (4), 7-6 (6), to seal the win for Arkansas.
Tennis Match Results
Arkansas vs Ohio State
Feb 26, 2012 at Columbus, Ohio
(Varsity Tennis Center)
#31 Arkansas 4, #64 Ohio State 3
Singles competition
1. Emily Carbone (ARK) def. Kara Cecil (OSU) 7-6 (7-4), 7-6 (8-6)
2. Claudine Paulson (ARK) def. #123 Fidan Manashirova (OSU) 6-3, 6-0
3. Kelsey Haviland (OSU) def. Stephanie Roy (ARK) 4-6, 6-3, 6-4
4. Kelsey Dieters (OSU) def. Kate Lukomskaya (ARK) 6-0, 7-6 (7-5)
5. Gabby Steele (OSU) def. Laurie Gingras (ARK) 6-4, 3-6, 6-4
6. Catherine Parenteau (ARK) def. Tiffany Dittmer (OSU) 0-6, 6-0, 7-6 (7-4)
Doubles competition
1. Claudine Paulson/Laurie Gingras (ARK) def. Kara Cecil/Kelsey Dieters (OSU) 8-5
2. Emily Carbone/Stephanie Roy (ARK) def. Kelsey Haviland/Noelle Malley (OSU) 9-7
3. Fidan Manashirova/Gabby Steele (OSU) def. Kate Lukomskaya/Catherine Parenteau (ARK) 9-7
Match Notes:
Arkansas 7-3 (0-0 SEC); National ranking #31
Ohio State 5-6 (0-1 Big Ten); National ranking #64
Order of finish: Doubles (1,3,2); Singles (2,4,6,5,3,1)
T-4:33 A-100
Team Stats
#1 Doubles Match
#2 Doubles Match
#3 Doubles Match
Order of Finish:
1,3,2
#1 Singles Match
#2 Singles Match
#3 Singles Match
#4 Singles Match
#5 Singles Match
#6 Singles Match
Order of Finish:
2,4,6,5,3,1
