Ohio State
#7 Michigan (Big Ten Tournament Final) **
Buckeyes Win B1G Tournament Title with 4-0 Win Over Michigan
4/30/2023 5:41:47 PM | Men's Tennis
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – No. 3 Ohio State completed a perfect Big Ten season following its regular season title with a tournament title on Sunday, beating rival Michigan 4-0 in the championship match.
The Buckeyes have won their 15th Big Ten Tournament titles and Ty Tucker has been a part of all 15. He won the first in 1991 as a player and the last 14 have all come with him as the head coach.
The win is the third this season over Michigan and improves the Buckeyes to 29-2 on the season. After beating Illinois in the semifinals on Saturday, Ohio State is now 7-0 against Illinois and Michigan this season.
The doubles point was a classic as it came down to a tiebreaker and then the Buckeyes got singles wins from seniors James Trotter, Robert Cash and the clinching point from Justin Boulais.
Trotter was a combined 4-0 on the weekend and was named the tournament’s most valuable player. Boulais was also 4-0 and was named to the All-Tournament Team.
Doubles
- As easy as the doubles point came for the Buckeyes the first two days, this one was a grind a took an hour.
- Cannon Kingsley and JJ Tracy capped their stellar tournament with a 6-3 win on court three. Tracy hit a forehand winner for the lone break of the match, putting the Buckeyes up 4-2 and both sides held serve from there. Kingsley and Tracy were 3-0 on the weekend and are now 15-4 overall.
- On court one, Michigan got the lone break at 5-4 and held for the 6-4 victory.
- That left the point in the hands of Andrew Lutschaunig and James Trotter on court two. The teams traded breaks midway through the set and then held serve into a tiebreaker. In the breaker, Michigan won back-to-back points and was serving for the match at 6-4. Trotter hit a huge backhand winner up the middle to stave off match point and then hit an ace to pull the Buckeyes even at 6-6. He had another big forehand winner to put the Buckeyes up 8-7 and then Lutschaunig served and won the point from the baseline to clinch the match and the crucial doubles point.
Singles
- The first singles win came from the tournament MVP. Trotter rolled to his 25th consecutive win with a 6-4, 6-2 win over No. 59 Gavin Young on court five.
- On the other side of the building, Robert Cash added the third point shortly after Trotter as he took down Jacob Bickersteth 6-1, 6-4. Cash is now 17-1 on the season in singles play.
- The clinching point looked like it was going to come from Cannon Kingsley on court one, but he and Styler split their first two sets.
- Justin Boulais, who had lost his last two matches against Andrew Fenty, got his revenge on Sunday. Boulais won the opening set in a tiebreaker and then bested the tall left 6-4 in the second to clinch the title.
- JJ Tracy was in a third set on his court and Alexander Bernard was in a second-set tiebreaker looking to send his match to a third set.
Up Next
- Ohio State will find out Monday evening its NCAA Tournament destination. The Buckeyes will likely host first and second round matches next weekend. The NCAA Selection Show is 6:30 p.m. on Monday, May 1.
#3 Ohio State 4, #7 Michigan 0
Singles
1. #19 Cannon Kingsley (OSU) vs. #10 Ondrej Styler (MICH) 6-3, 6-7 (3-7), unfinished
2. #38 Justin Boulais (OSU) def. #16 Andrew Fenty (MICH) 7-6 (7-3), 6-4
3. #20 JJ Tracy (OSU) vs. #36 Patrick Maloney (MICH) 6-3, 5-7, 0-1, unfinished
4. #39 Alexander Bernard (OSU) vs. Nino Ehrenschneider (MICH) 5-7, 6-6, unfinished
5. #31 James Trotter (OSU) def. #59 Gavin Young (MICH) 6-4, 6-2
6. Robert Cash (OSU) def. Jacob Bickersteth (MICH) 6-1, 6-4
Doubles
1. #7 Andrew Fenty/Gavin Young (MICH) def. #27 Robert Cash/Justin Boulais (OSU) 6-4
2. #10 James Trotter/Andrew Lutschaunig (OSU) def. Nino Ehrenschneider/Patrick Maloney (MICH) 7-6 (9-7)
3. Cannon Kingsley/JJ Tracy (OSU) def. Jacob Bickersteth/Ondrej Styler (MICH) 6-3
Match Notes:
Michigan 24-4; National ranking #7
Ohio State 29-2; National ranking #3
Order of finish: Doubles (3,1,2); Singles (6,5,2)
Big Ten Tournament Championship Match
T-2:55
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