Ohio State
#8 Columbia
Buckeyes Outlast Columbia 4-2, Advance to NCAA Semis
5/16/2024 7:26:00 PM | Men's Tennis
Ohio State has reached the semifinals for the eighth time in program history
STILLWATER, Okla. – For the third consecutive year, and the eighth time in program history, Ohio State has advanced to the NCAA Semifinals as the top-ranked Buckeyes took down No. 8 Columbia 4-2 on Thursday afternoon in Stillwater.
The win is Ohio State’s 18th consecutive victory and improve the Buckeyes to 34-1 on the season.
Thursday was the Buckeyes’ longest match of the season as it lasted nearly three and a half hours. Ohio State won the doubles point and then got wins from JJ Tracy and Cannon Kingsley to post three points. Columbia collected wins on courts one and four and the score was 3-2 with the matches on courts five and six, on either end of the facility, left to finish.
Columbia won the opening set on each of those courts, 7-5, and then Alexander Bernard (court 5) and Robert Cash (court 6) were able to force a second-set tiebreaker. With the season on the line, both Cash and Bernard won the breakers 7-5 to advance to a third set.
In the third set, Bernard showed his fitness as he continued to grind while his opponent, Hugo Hashimoto, began to cramp. Bernard would go on to win 6-1 in the third set and clinch the match for the Buckeyes.
It's not March, but it's still very much Survive and Advance! #GoBucks #NCAATennis pic.twitter.com/yuwICFwR9s
— Ohio State M Tennis (@OhioStateMTEN) May 16, 2024
The doubles point was tight. Kingsley and Jack Anthrop grabbed the first break on court three but quickly gave it right back. They would break again late in the set and would win 6-4. Columbia won 6-4 on court two, leaving the point to be decided by the No. 3 ranked team of Cash and Tracy on court one.
The match on one was on serve until the very end. The Buckeye duo broke at 5-4 win with a tremendous point at the net to take the match 6-4. Cash and Tracy have not lost in their nine matches.
Ohio State will have a day off on Friday before playing TCU in the semifinals on Saturday at noon ET. TCU beat Kentucky 4-0 on Thursday. Ohio State and TCU faced each other in the finals of the ITA Indoor Team National Championship in February with the Buckeyes winning 4-3.
#1 Ohio State 4, #8 Columbia 2
Singles
1. #23 Michael Zheng (COL) def. #34 Justin Boulais (OSU) 6-3, 6-1
2. #17 Cannon Kingsley (OSU) def. #100 Alex Kotzen (COL) 6-2, 6-4
3. #19 JJ Tracy (OSU) def. Nicolas Kotzen (COL) 6-3, 6-0
4. Max Westphal (COL) def. #30 Jack Anthrop (OSU) 6-2, 6-3
5. Alexander Bernard (OSU) def. Hugo Hashimoto (COL) 5-7, 7-6 (7-5), 6-1
6. Robert Cash (OSU) vs. Henry Ruger (COL) 5-7, 7-6 (7-5), 1-4, unfinished
Doubles
1. Robert Cash/JJ Tracy (OSU) def. Theo Winegar/Michael Zheng (COL) 6-4 (3-16)
2. Nicolas Kotzen/Max Westphal (COL) def. #49 Justin Boulais/Andrew Lutschaunig (OSU) 6-4
3. Cannon Kingsley/Jack Anthrop (OSU) def. Alex Kotzen/Henry Ruger (COL) 6-4
Match Notes:
Columbia 23-4; National ranking #8
Ohio State 34-1; National ranking #1
Order of finish: Doubles (3,2,1); Singles (1,3,4,2,5)
NCAA Men's Tennis Championship Quarterfinal Match
T-3:28
#GoBucks
Team Stats
#1 Doubles Match
#2 Doubles Match
#3 Doubles Match
Order of Finish:
3,2,1
#1 Singles Match
#2 Singles Match
#3 Singles Match
#4 Singles Match
#5 Singles Match
#6 Singles Match
Order of Finish:
1,3,4,2,5
