Buckeyes End Weekend With 4-2 Setback To Illinois – Ohio State Buckeyes
2/15/2015 12:00:00 AM | Men's Tennis
Feb. 15, 2015
RELATED INFO
- Results (PDF)
- 2015 Statistics
- 2015 Schedule
- Follow the Buckeyes on Facebook and Twitter
CHICAGO, Ill. – The day got off to a great start but Illinois dominated the singles matches to top Ohio State Sunday evening 4-2 in the consolation bracket of the ITA Indoor Team Championships.
After falling to top-ranked USC on Saturday, the Buckeyes bolted out of the gate on Sunday by overwhelming the Illini in doubles play. The No. 7-ranked team of Kevin Metka and Ralf Steinbach cruised to a 6-0 win over the 11th-ranked squad of Tim Kopinski and Ross Guignon.
Freshman Mikael Torpegaard and sophomore Herkko Pollanen then clinched the point with a 6-3 win over Blake Bazarnik and Brian Page. Chris Diaz and Hunter Callahan were also leading 5-2 in their match at No. 2 when the point was won.
The host Illini then turned the tables in the singles matches. Kopinski took a 6-1, 6-3 victory over Pollanen to get Illinois on the board but Metka made quick work of Page 6-3, 6-2 to give the Buckeyes a 2-1 edge.
Callahan then fell to No. 46 Aleks Vukic at No. 5 singles and in a rematch of the ITA Midwest Singles championship from last fall, No. 23 Jared Hiltzik avenged his loss to Torpegaard with a 6-2, 6-4 victory.
That put Illinois a point away from the win and it got that from No. 69 Aaron Hiltzik as he downed Steinbach at No. 4 singles 6-4, 6-4.
The loss was the second-straight for the Buckeyes who are now 10-3 on the season. They will return to action this Saturday when they host a pair of matched against Notre Dame and Dayton. The match with the Irish is scheduled to start at Noon while the match with the Flyers will start at 5 p.m.
#5 Illinois 4, #8 Ohio State 2
Singles competition
1. #53 Chris Diaz (OSU) vs. #41 Farris Gosea (ILL) 2-6, 1-5, unfinished
2. #23 Jared Hiltzik (ILL) def. #30 Mikael Torpegaard (OSU) 6-2, 6-4
3. #37 Tim Kopinski (ILL) def. Herkko Pollanen (OSU) 6-1, 6-2
4. #69 Aron Hiltzik (ILL) def. #68 Ralf Steinbach (OSU) 6-4, 6-4
5. #46 Aleks Vukic (ILL) def. #110 Hunter Callahan (OSU) 6-3, 6-3
6. Kevin Metka (OSU) def. Brian Page (ILL) 6-3, 6-2
Doubles competition
1. #7 Kevin Metka/Ralf Steinbach (OSU) def. #11 Tim Kopinski/Ross Guignon (ILL) 6-0
2. Chris Diaz/Hunter Callahan (OSU) vs. Jared Hiltzik/Farris Gosea (ILL) 5-2, unfinished
3. Herkko Pollanen/Mikael Torpegaard (OSU) def. Blake Bazarnik/Brian Page (ILL) 6-3
Match Notes:
Order of finish: Doubles (1,3); Singles (3,6,5,2,4)