No. 10 Buckeyes Win NCAA Opening Match over Illinois State

Results

COLUMBUS, Ohio – The No. 10 Ohio State women’s tennis team is on to the second round of the NCAA Tournament after a 4-0 win over Illinois State Saturday in the Ty Tucker Tennis Center. The Buckeyes won the doubles point and three straight-set singles matches, dropping just two games in the three singles matches combined, for the victory.

The Buckeyes, now 21-5 on the year, will take on Vanderbilt, who shut out Xavier in the first round, at noon Sunday for a spot in the Round of 16. Ohio State and Vanderbilt met in the second round in Columbus last year as well, with the Buckeyes prevailing, 4-3.

The match is set to be played outside at the Auer Tennis Complex. In the event of inclement weather, play will be moved inside the Ty Tucker Tennis Center. Check OhioStateBuckeyes.com and the Ohio State women’s tennis social media accounts on match day for location information. Admission and parking will be free for all NCAA matches in Columbus. Live scoring and video, through the Tennis One app, will be available for all matches. Note Ohio State commencement is Sunday, with traffic expected to be heavy in the campus area.

Quoting head coach Melissa Schaub

“At this point in the season the goal is to go out there and get the job done so you have another match to play. Everyone is playing with fire because you know if you lose your season is over. We’re excited for another match against a good Vanderbilt team and are looking forward to having the chance to play on our home courts again.”

In Doubles

• Ohio State won on courts one and two for the doubles point.
• The No. 43-ranked duo of Irina Cantos Siemers and Sydni Ratliff dropped just one point against Maria Potsi and Penelope Abreau on court two.
• Illinois State took court three, with Alexandra Abyasova and Laura Fitzgerald defeating Kathleen Jones and Luna Dormet, 6-2.
• On court one, Isabelle Boulais and Kolie Allen downed Tijana Zlatanovic and Tara Damnjanovic, 6-4. The Buckeyes jumped out to a 4-1 lead before the Redbirds won three in a row for a four-all match. Boulais and Allen held for 5-4 and then broke on the no-ad point for the match and doubles point.

In Singles

• Ohio State won all six first sets, dropping six games combined, and closed out three matches quickly for the team victory.
• On court five, Shelly Bereznyak did not lose a game against Abreu for a 2-0 Ohio State lead. Dormet followed with a win by the same score over Elena Jankulovska on court six.
• Ratliff clinched Ohio State’s win, as she defeated Potsi, 6-1, 6-1, on court three.
• Allen was a game away from winning her match when play was called, leading Damnjanovic, 6-2, 5-1.
• Cantos Siemers on court one and Boulais on court two both won their first sets. Cantos Siemers was on serve and Boulais was down a break in the second when the match was clinched.

The Results
Illinois State vs Ohio State
May 07 at Columbus, Ohio
(Ty Tucker Tennis Center)

#10 Ohio State 4, Illinois State 0

Singles competition
1. #13 Irina Cantos Siemers (OSU) vs. Tijana Zlatanovic (ILS-W) 6-3, 2-3, unfinished
2. #41 Isabelle Boulais (OSU) vs. Alexandra Abyasova (ILS-W) 6-0, 2-4, unfinished
3. #67 Sydni Ratliff (OSU) def. Maria Potsi (ILS-W) 6-1, 6-1
4. Kolie Allen (OSU) vs. Tara Damnjanovic (ILS-W) 6-2, 5-1, unfinished
5. Shelly Bereznyak (OSU) def. Penelope Abreu (ILS-W) 6-0, 6-0
6. Luna Dormet (OSU) def. Elena Jankulovska (ILS-W) 6-0, 6-0

Doubles competition
1. Isabelle Boulais/Kolie Allen (OSU) def. Tijana Zlatanovic/Tara Damnjanovic (ILS-W) 6-4
2. #43 Irina Cantos Siemers/Sydni Ratliff (OSU) def. Maria Potsi/Penelope Abreu (ILS-W) 6-1
3. Alexandra Abyasova/Laura Fitzgerald (ILS-W) def. Kathleen Jones/Luna Dormet (OSU) 6-2

Match Notes:
Illinois State 17-7
Ohio State 20-5; National ranking #10
Order of finish: Doubles (2,3,1); Singles (5,6,3)
NCAA Tournament First Round
Official: Julio Colon T-1:45 A-140