Buckeyes to Face Nebraska, Iowa – Ohio State Buckeyes
3/28/2012 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
March 28, 2012
COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Ohio State women’s tennis team will face No. 18 Nebraska and Iowa in its first road series of the season this weekend. The Buckeyes take on the Cornhuskers (16-2, 2-1 Big Ten) at 4:30 p.m. ET Friday in Lincoln, Neb., before facing the Hawkeyes (6-8, 0-3 Big Ten) at noon ET Sunday in Iowa City, Iowa.
Follow Along
?Throughout the season, stay connected with the Buckeyes on Twitter @OhioState_WTEN or on Facebook at facebook.com/OhioState_WTEN.
A link for live stats against Iowa is on the women’s tennis schedule page on OhioStateBuckeyes.com. ?
?On Deck For Ohio State?
Following the match against Iowa, the Scarlet and Gray will host Wisconsin and Minnesota April 6 and 8 before hitting the road to face Illinois and Northwestern April 13 and 15.
New Courts Dedicated
DedicationVideo: Outdoor Varsity Tennis Courts
Ohio State’s new tennis facility was officially dedicated in a ceremony Tuesday afternoon. The facility, The Ohio State University Outdoor Varsity Tennis Center, consists of 12 scarlet and gray painted tournament-style courts that are ideal for large spectator crowds. The tennis complex serves both the university and surrounding community for practice, competitions and youth camps.
Along with the courts, there is a new joint support facility shared with the field hockey complex that contains restrooms, storage and concessions for fans. The complex also includes a convenient new parking lot and better media accessibility, including a press area.
At the event, Gene Smith, Ohio State associate vice president/director of athletes, tennis head coaches Chuck Merzbacher and Ty Tucker and tennis student-athletes Kelsey Haviland and Steven Williams addressed the crowd, with Chris Schneider, associate athletics director for sport administration, serving as emcee. After the brief ceremony, three members of each squad hit a ceremonial `first serve’.
Click HERE for photos from the dedication.
Stat Central
?Junior Gabby Steele has won nine of her last 10 singles decisions to lead the team with 15 victories, including a team-best 12-4 record in dual matches. Freshman Kelsey Dieters follows with 14 wins, while junior Fidan Manashirova has tallied 13 victories. ?
?Manashirova and Steele also form the winningest Buckeye doubles tandem, as the pair holds a 15-5 record, including an 11-3 dual-match ledger. Ohio State’s No. 1 doubles team of Dieters and junior Kara Cecil is 10-11 with five dual wins.?
?Junior-Fueled?
Ohio State’s junior class of Kara Cecil, Fidan Manashirova and Gabby Steele has combined to win 35 singles matches this season, 45 percent of the team’s 77 singles victories. The trio has accounted for 152 career wins. In doubles, the juniors have played a part in 67 percent of the Buckeyes’ wins in 2011-12 with 28 of 42 decisions.?
Nebraska Cornhuskers?
The match will mark the first meeting between Ohio State and Nebraska as conference rivals in women’s tennis. ?
Nebraska is coming off a 5-2 upset of then-14th ranked Northwestern in Evanston, Ill. The Cornhuskers feature a trio of nationally ranked singles players including No. 40 Mary Weatherholt, No. 109 Janine Weinreich and No. 117 Patricia Veresova. Weatherholt, the team’s No. 1 singles player, is 17-0 in dual-match singles, as well as 14-0 alongside Veresova in doubles.
The Huskers’ top doubles tandem of Madeleine Geibert and Stefanie Weinstein is ranked 40th nationally as well.
Nebraska secured a tight, 4-3 victory at home against Ohio State in 2011.
?Iowa Hawkeyes?
Sonja Molnar, ranked 115th nationally, again takes the helm at the top of the Hawkeyes’ singles lineup. The senior has played at the top spot in each of the teams’ previous meetings during her career. This spring, she is 10-4 at No. 1 singles and leads the team in wins.
Ellen Silver and Katie Zordani form Iowa’s winningest doubles duo, with seven dual victories. The Hawkeyes have consistently changed their doubles lineup this spring, featuring 10 different tandems.
The Buckeyes defeated Iowa, 6-1, at home a season ago after suffering a 6-1 loss on the road to the Hawkeyes in 2010. Ohio State has won three of the last four meetings.
Iowa faces Penn State Friday before the Buckeyes and Hawkeyes meet on the courts.
Big Ten Tournament Coming to Columbus
Ohio State will host the 2012 Ohio State women’s tennis tournament April 25-29 at The Ohio State University Varsity Outdoor Tennis Center. All 12 conference schools will participate in the event, with one round held each day. Admission to all rounds is FREE. For more information on the tournament, including a schedule and live stats links during play, visit: http://go.osu.edu/2012WTENBTT
Merzbacher’s Winning Ways?
Merzbacher has coached 607 matches in his collegiate career dating back to his first season with Northern Illinois during the 1989-90 season. Of those 607 matches, he has collected 362 victories for a win percentage of 60 percent. Merzbacher has been at the helm of the Buckeyes for 411 matches. Since his inaugural season in 1996-97, Merzbacher has achieved a .557 win percentage on the way to 229 victories at Ohio State.
Shape Of Things To Come?
Five of Ohio State’s eight remaining 2012 opponents were ranked in the March 27 Intercollegiate Tennis Association polls, led by conference foes Michigan and Northwestern at 14th and 15th, respectively. Eight of the 12 Big Ten teams found a place in the rankings. Nebraska is 18th, with Illinois 21st and Minnesota 32nd. Purdue is 33rd, while Indiana comes in at No. 41 and Penn State is No. 46. ?
Ohio State In The Books?
5-11: season record?
0-3: Big Ten record?
4-4: home record?
1-6: road record
2-4: all-time vs. Nebraska
16-22: all-time vs. Iowa?
