Ohio State
#24 Illinois (Big Ten Tournament Semifinals) **
Buckeyes Beat Illinois 4-1, Headed to the Finals
4/29/2023 3:09:11 PM | Men's Tennis
COLUMBUS, Ohio – In a bit of a back-and-forth match, No. 3-ranked Ohio State flexed its muscle in the deciding sets and downed No. 24 Illinois 4-1 in the semifinals of the Big Ten Tournament on Saturday afternoon.
The win was the fourth this season over the Fighting Illini as the Buckeyes improved to 28-2 on the year. They will meet either Michigan or Northwestern in the championship match on Sunday at noon.
Two of the three doubles matches went to a tiebreaker and four of the six singles matches went to a third set. The Buckeyes have now won 13 of the last 14 meetings against Illinois.
Doubles
- The doubles point was a good one. The Buckeyes won but it wasn’t without a fight as the first two courts both went to a tiebreaker.
- Cannon Kingsley and JJ Tracy didn’t need a tiebreaker as they handled Lucas Horve and Gabrielius Guzauskas 6-2 on court three.
- Robert Cash and Justin Boulais had a great match on court one with Hunter Heck and Karlis Ozolins. Neither team gave an inch as they battled into a tiebreaker. Cash and Boulais went up 2-0 but the Illini duo fought back to win four consecutive points and take a 6-4 lead. The Buckeyes then fought-off a match point to make it 6-5 and would also win the next three points to take the breaker 8-6 and clinch the doubles point.
- James Trotter and Andrew Lutschaunig also went on serve into a tiebreaker and was up 3-0 in the breaker when the point was clinched.
Singles
- Singles was a back-and-forth grind as well. The Buckeyes got a pair of straight-set wins but the other four matches all went to a third set.
- Kingsley has been playing like an All-American the last few weeks and he kept that going, beating Ozolins 6-2, 6-4 on court one.
- Trotter remained unbeaten as he rolled past William Mroz 6-3, 6-3 on court five and the Buckeyes were up 3-0. Trotter is now 24-0 on the season.
- The first of the three-setters to finish was on court six as Illinois’ Kenta Miyoshi beat Buckeye freshman Jack Anthrop 6-3, 1-6, 6-3 to get the Illini on the board.
- Fellow freshman Alexander Bernard would provide the clinching point on court four. He won the opening set over Oliver Okonkwo 6-1 but would lose the second set in a tiebreaker. The two were on serve at 4-3 in the third before a break Bernard broke for a 5-3 lead. He then held on love to win the match 6-3.
- On the remaining matches, Boulais was up a break at 4-3 in his third set while Tracy was down a break at 4-2.
Up Next
- Ohio State will play for a Big Ten title for the 19th consecutive tournament. The Buckeyes will face either Michigan or Northwestern at noon on Sunday.
#3 Ohio State 4, #24 Illinois 1
Singles
1. #19 Cannon Kingsley (OSU) def. #23 Karlis Ozolins (ILL) 6-2, 6-4
2. #38 Justin Boulais (OSU) vs. Hunter Heck (ILL) 6-3, 4-6, 4-3, unfinished
3. #20 JJ Tracy (OSU) vs. #87 Alex Petrov (ILL) 3-6, 6-2, 2-4, unfinished
4. #39 Alexander Bernard (OSU) def. Oliver Okonkwo (ILL) 6-1, 6-7 (5-7), 6-3
5. #31 James Trotter (OSU) def. William Mroz (ILL) 6-3, 6-3
6. Kenta Miyoshi (ILL) def. Jack Anthrop (OSU) 6-3, 1-6, 6-3
Doubles
1. #27 Justin Boulais/Robert Cash (OSU) def. #41 Karlis Ozolins/Hunter Heck (ILL) 7-6 (8-6)
2. #10 Andrew Lutschaunig/James Trotter (OSU) vs. #65 Oliver Okonkwo/Mathis Debru (ILL) 6-6, unfinished
3. Cannon Kingsley/JJ Tracy (OSU) def. Gabrielius Guzauskas/Lucas Horve (ILL) 6-2
Match Notes:
Illinois 19-11; National ranking #24
Ohio State 28-2; National ranking #3
Order of finish: Doubles (3,1); Singles (1,5,6,4)
Big Ten Tournament Semifinals
T-3:00
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