No. 4 Buckeyes Defeat B1G Ten Rival No. 10 Michigan, 5-1

Friday, February 17

Columbus, Ohio

Ohio State

Michigan

No. 4 Buckeyes Defeat B1G Ten Rival No. 10 Michigan, 5-1

2/17/2017 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis

Box Score

Feb. 17, 2017

Results

COLUMBUS, Ohio – In a matchup of Top 10 squads, the No. 4 Ohio State women’s tennis team posted a 5-1 win over No. 10 Michigan Friday in the Varsity Tennis Center in Columbus. Ohio State improves to 8-1 this spring, while the Wolverines fall to 6-2. Because of the Big Ten 2017 schedule, the match was a nonconference contest.

Ohio State will host Penn State at noon Sunday inside the Varsity Tennis Center to open its Big Ten conference slate. Admission is free.

The Buckeyes went up 1-0 after winning the doubles point in a tiebreak on court two. Sophomore Francesca Di Lorenzo handily won on court one to put the Scarlet and Gray ahead 2-0. Senior Miho Kowase posted the second victory for the Buckeyes on court five, dropping just three games. The Wolverines claimed court two to get on the board but senior Gabriella De Santis clinched the team win for the Buckeyes with a victory on court three.

“We sat here after the loss in the semifinals at National Indoors and thought this is the best possible thing that could happen for us moving forward – knowing we had Michigan, which is such a good team, coming here just a few days after that happened,” Melissa Schaub, Ohio State head coach, said. “The girls didn’t have any time to hang their heads and they stayed motivated. It was a big match for both teams and we’re just happy we were able to get through it.”

In doubles, the senior duo of Ferny Angeles Paz and Kowase downed the Michigan pair of Chiara Lommer and Valeria Patiuk on court three, 6-1. The Wolverines answered on court one when the No. 3-ranked tandem of Kate Fahey and Alex Najarian topped Di Lorenzo and junior Anna Sanford, 6-3. The senior pair of De Santis and Sandy Niehaus battled back from being down 5-2 against the No. 40 pair of Brienne Minor and Mira Ruder-Hook to a win in a tiebreak on court two, 7-6 (2), to clinch the doubles point and give the Buckeyes the 1-0 advantage going into singles.

No. 1-ranked Di Lorenzo was the first off the court after defeating No. 27 Minor 6-1, 6-2 on court one. She is 16-1 overall this season. Shortly afterwards No. 84 Kowase posted the second singles win for the Buckeyes, notching a 6-0, 6-3 victory over Ruder-Hook on court five, marking her seventh win in a row in dual play. The Wolverines got on the board when No. 55 Sanford fell to No. 26 Fahey on court two, 6-1, 6-4.

No. 68 De Santis downed No. 64 Najarian on court three, 6-3, 6-3, to secure the win for the Buckeyes over B1G rival Michigan. Moments later Angeles Paz beat Patiuk on court six, 6-3, 6-1, to move to 8-0 in dual match play and win her ninth in a row overall. After dropping the first set, Niehaus was on serve, 2-3, in second against Lommer on court four when play was suspended.

The Buckeyes extended their home winning streak to 21 matches with the victory.

Michigan vs Ohio State
Feb 17, 2017 at Columbus
(Varsity Tennis Center)

#4 Ohio State 5, #10 Michigan 1

Singles competition
1. #1 Francesca Di Lorenzo (OSU) def. #26 Brienne Minor (UM) 6-1, 6-3
2. #27 Kate Fahey (UM) def. #55 Anna Sanford (OSU) 6-1, 6-4
3. #68 Gabriella De Santis (OSU) def. #64 Alex Najarian (UM) 6-3, 6-3
4. Sandy Niehaus (OSU) vs. Chiara Lommer (UM) 5-7, 2-3, unfinished
5. #84 Miho Kowase (OSU) def. Mira Ruder-Hook (UM) 6-0, 6-3
6. Ferny Angeles Paz (OSU) def. Valeria Patiuk (UM) 6-3, 6-1

Doubles competition
1. #3 Alex Najarian/Kate Fahey (UM) def. Francesca Di Lorenzo/Anna Sanford (OSU) 6-3
2. Gabriella De Santis/Sandy Niehaus (OSU) def. #40 Brienne Minor/Mira Ruder-Hook (UM) 7-6 (7-2)
3. Ferny Angeles Paz/Miho Kowase (OSU) def. Valeria Patiuk/Chiara Lommer (UM) 6-1

Match Notes:
Michigan 6-2; National ranking #10
Ohio State 8-1; National ranking #4
Order of finish: Doubles (3,1,2); Singles (1,5,2,3,6)
Official: Mark Rowley T-2:12 A-208