Ohio State
Nebraska
MTEN: No. 2 Buckeyes Net 6-1 Win vs. Nebraska – Ohio State Buckeyes
3/30/2012 12:00:00 AM | Men's Tennis
March 30, 2012
COLUMBUS, Ohio – The six-time defending Big Ten champion and No. 2 Ohio State men’s tennis team (21-2; 4-0 Big Ten) defeated 70th-ranked Nebraska (7-9, 0-3) 6-1 Friday at the Varsity Indoor Tennis Center. It was the first meeting between the two schools as members of the Big Ten, with the Cornhuskers in their inaugural season as members of the conference. With the victory, the Buckeyes moved to 4-0 in the Big Ten this season, extending their conference win streak to 83 matches.
The victory over the Huskers extended Ohio State’s home win streak to 141 matches, including a 14-0 mark this season.
Nelson Vick secured the Buckeye victory by allowing just one point in a 6-1, 6-0 triumph at No. 6 singles to give Ohio State a 4-0 advantage and a guaranteed win. Vick, competing in only his fifth dual match, controlled the tempo and flow of the entire match en route to a 4-1 spring record and 8-4 mark overall. It was the redshirt-freshman’s first time competing on court six this season.
The Buckeyes have now met Nebraska twice, winning both matchups, with the previous contest a 6-1 Ohio State victory during the 2001-02 season.
The Scarlet and Gray earned their 22nd doubles point out of 23 chances with victories at all three positions vs. Nebraska.
Peter Kobelt and Chase Buchanan teamed up for the second time this spring and first time at the No. 2 position to defeat Nebraska’s Robert Schulze and Andre Stenger 8-3. The Buckeye duo, ranked 31st nationally, remained unbeaten at 7-0 for the year.
Devin McCarthy and Ille Van Engelen, ranked 39th nationally, netted the doubles point for the home team after a big 8-5 win over No. 17 Christopher Aumueller and Benedict Lindheim. It was the Ohio State pair’s 24th victory of the season and fourth consecutive win, moving to 4-1 at the No. 1 position.
Concluding doubles play, Blaz Rola and Connor Smith were 8-4 winners on court three vs. Stefan Gollner and Eric Sock. It was Rola and Smith’s first time teaming up during dual play, but they are 5-1 overall for the year.
Buchanan, the two-time defending Big Ten Athlete of the Year and 12th-ranked player nationally, extended the Buckeye lead to 2-0 with a convincing 6-0, 6-4 triumph at No. 2 singles over Lindheim, ranked 95th nationally. The senior captain moved to 17-6 with the win.
With his 16th win of the season, Kobelt came back from a 4-1 deficit and reeled off five consecutive points in the second set of his match with Stenger to defeat the Cornhusker 6-2, 6-4 and give Ohio State a commanding and almost insurmountable 3-0 lead.
“After being down 4-1, I knew it was going to be tough to comeback, especially since he serves the ball so well,” said Kobelt, “But I figured if I could return his serves and get a few points I’d be all right and that’s what happened. I’m thrilled to get the victory and help out our team.”
In other singles action, McCarthy was a decisive winner on court four after a 6-2, 6-4 win vs. Schulze. The Cincinnati, Ohio, native earned his 20th victory on the season in only his fifth start at the No. 4 position.
Hunter Callahan moved to 6-0 this spring with a 6-2, 7-5 win at No. 5 singles, while Rola lost 10-5 in a third-set tiebreaker to No. 79 Aumueller snapping his 10-match win streak.
Up next, Ohio State will continue its homestand with a doubleheader Sunday. The first match with Big Ten foe, Iowa, will begin at noon at the new outdoor Varsity Tennis Courts. The Buckeyes will meet Youngstown State at 5 p.m.
Break Points:
- As the No. 2 team nationally, Ohio State is 66-5.
- Ohio State has won 83 consecutive Big Ten Conference matches.
- The Scarlet and Gray have won 22 of 23 doubles points this season.
- The Buckeyes have been victorious in 38 of their previous 41 matches.
- Ohio State has won 141 consecutive home matches in Columbus.
- Since 2001, Ohio State is 266-38 when ranked in the ITA Top 25. That mark moves to 219-15 from the 2005-06 season onward.
- The Buckeyes have been ranked in the ITA Top 10 for 185-consecutive matches (beginning March 7, 2006).
Tennis Match Results
No. 2 Ohio State 6, No. 70 Nebraska 1
Mar 30, 2012 at Columbus, Ohio
(Varsity Tennis Center)
Singles
1. #79 Christopher Aumueller (NEB) def. #5 Blaz Rola (OSU) 6-4, 4-6, 10-5
2. #12 Chase Buchanan (OSU) def. #95 Benedict Lindheim (NEB) 6-0, 6-4
3. #54 Peter Kobelt (OSU) def. Andre Stenger (NEB) 6-2, 6-4
4. #69 Devin McCarthy (OSU) def. Robert Schulze (NEB) 6-2, 6-4
5. Hunter Callahan (OSU) def. Stefan Gollner (NEB) 6-2, 7-5
6. #110 Nelson Vick (OSU) def. Eric Sock (NEB) 6-1, 6-0
Doubles
1. #39 Devin McCarthy/Ille Van Engelen (OSU) def. #19 Christopher Aumueller/Benedict Lindheim (NEB) 8-5
2. #31 Chase Buchanan/Peter Kobelt (OSU) def. Robert Schulze/Andre Stenger (NEB) 8-3
3. Blaz Rola/Connor Smith (OSU) def. Stefan Gollner/Eric Sock (NEB) 8-4
Match Notes:
Nebraska 7-9; National ranking #70
Ohio State 21-2; National ranking #2
Order of finish: Doubles (2,1,3); Singles (2,3,6,4,5,1)
Official: Vince Solomon T-2:50
