Ohio State
Georgia Tech (Round of 16)
No. 4 Buckeyes Down Georgia Tech 4-2 to Reach NCAA Quarterfinals
5/20/2016 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
May 20, 2016
COLUMBUS, Ohio — The No. 4-seed Ohio State women’s tennis team will play in the NCAA Championship quarterfinals Saturday after a 4-2 win over No. 17-ranked Georgia Tech in the Round of 16. The Buckeyes, now 31-2 on the year and on a 16-match winning streak, will face No. 12 Oklahoma State in the quarterfinals, scheduled for 5 p.m. ET Saturday in Tulsa.
All eight women’s Round of 16 matches were played Thursday, with rainy weather in Tulsa affecting the schedule. The Buckeyes’ match, slated to start at 8 p.m. ET, was delayed until 10:45 p.m. ET and was moved to the indoor courts at Oklahoma State in Stillwater.
Against Georgia Tech, Ohio State won the doubles point to take a 1-0 lead. After junior Sandy Niehaus won on court six, the Yellow Jackets claimed the next two matches for a 2-2 team score. Buckeye freshman and No. 3-ranked Francesca Di Lorenzo put Ohio State back ahead with a win on court one and junior Miho Kowase rallied from a 4-1 deficit and won the last three games to clinch her match and the team victory.
Coach Schaub talked about the Buckeyes’ #NCAATennis Round of 16 Win over Georgia Tech. #GoBucks https://t.co/gtCzcaHEBg
— Ohio State W Tennis (@OhioState_WTEN) May 20, 2016
With wins on courts two and three, the Buckeyes claimed the doubles point. Juniors Gabriella De Santis and Niehaus, ranked 58th, did not drop a game, shutting out Rasheeda McAdoo and Johnnise Renaud, 6-0, on court two. At No. 3, Di Lorenzo and sophomore Olivia Sneed were 6-2 winners over Megan Kurey and Natasha Prokhnevska to clinch the doubles point. Georgia Tech’s No. 13-ranked doubles team of Paige Hourigan and Kendal Woodard led the Buckeyes’ No. 9-ranked squad of sophomore Anna Sanford and Kowase 4-3 when play was halted.
In singles, Niehaus put Ohio State up 2-0, downing Prokhnevska 6-2, 6-2, on court six. She is now 12-0 in dual matches this spring.
The Yellow Jackets then won back-to-back matches to tie the match at two. On court two, the Buckeyes’ No. 89 Sanford fell to No. 39 Hourigan, 6-4, 7-5, and on court three, McAdoo won 6-2, 7-5 over No. 96 De Santis.
On court one against No. 34-ranked Renaud, No. 3-ranked Di Lorenzo won the first set 6-4 and then broke to serve for the second set leading 5-3. She held for a 6-4, 6-3 win, putting the Buckeyes a point away from victory. Di Lorenzo has a team-best 35 overall and 26 dual match singles victories this year and is on a 14-match winning streak.
On court four, Kowase claimed the first set, 6-4, vs. Woodard. In the second, Woodard pulled ahead 4-1 before the Buckeye battled back to get on serve. Kowase won the last three games for a 7-5 set victory, clinching the Buckeyes’ win.
The final match on court was suspended with Buckeye junior Ferny Angeles Paz and Alexis Prokopuik about to start a third set. Angeles Paz won the first, 6-3, before Prokupuik posted a 6-4 victory in the second.
Postmatch Quotes:
Ohio State Head Coach Melissa Schaub
On the day and moving to Stillwater for your Round of 16 game…
“It was a long day, a long day for both teams and every team involved, but that is what our team is about. Our team will come out and fight every single day and give it our best shot, and that is what we did today. For two and three doubles to get up 4-0 quickly means a lot to get that momentum under your belt. I couldn’t be more proud.”
Talk about advancing…
“At this point in the tournament it isn’t about forehand and backhand, but about competing and fighting and willing to step up in the big moment. That is what we’ll try to preach on Saturday and hopefully for a few more matches. We competed hard. We knew it was going to be a fight and that is what we got. We know it is late, but we know we have a job to do and every match will be tough, but we’ll get ready for Saturday.”
Georgia Tech vs Ohio State
May 19, 2016 at Stillwater, Okla.
(Greenwood Tennis Center)
#4 Ohio State 4, #17 Georgia Tech 2
Singles competition
1. #3 Francesca Di Lorenzo (OSU) def. #34 Johnnise Renaud (GT) 6-4, 6-3
2. #39 Paige Hourigan (GT) def. #89 Anna Sanford (OSU) 6-4, 7-5
3. Rasheeda McAdoo (GT) def. #96 Gabriella De Santis (OSU) 6-2, 7-5
4. Miho Kowase (OSU) def. Kendal Woodard (GT) 6-4, 7-5
5. Ferny Angeles Paz (OSU) vs. Alexis Prokopuik (GT) 6-3, 4-6, unfinished
6. #81 Sandy Neihaus (OSU) def. Natasha Prokhnevska (GT) 6-2, 6-2
Doubles competition
1. #9 Anna Sanford/Miho Kowase (OSU) vs. #13 Paige Hourigan/Kendal Woodard (GT) 3-4, unfinished
2. #58 Gabriella De Santis/Sandy Neihaus (OSU) def. Rasheeda McAdoo/Johnnise Renaud (GT) 6-0
3. Olivia Sneed/Francesca Di Lorenzo (OSU) def. Megan Kurey/Natasha Prokhnevska (GT) 6-2
Match Notes:
Georgia Tech 19-9; National ranking #17
Ohio State 31-2; National ranking #4
Order of finish: Doubles (2,3); Singles (6,2,3,1,4)
NCAA Championship Round of 16
