Graduate Irina Cantos Siemers jumps in celebration after a 6-4, 7-5 series win for Ohio State to help the Buckeyes defeat the Illinois 4-2 Sunday. Credit: Courtesy of Ohio State Athletics
Sunday was an exceptional day for the Ohio State women’s tennis team’s seniors as Madeline Atway and captain Irina Cantos Siemers helped lead the team to success after a close match.
The No. 15 Buckeyes (17-6, 10-1 Big Ten) hosted No. 35-ranked Illinois (16-8, 8-3 Big Ten) at the Ty Tucker Tennis Center, where they defeated the Fighting Illini 4-2 to close out their regular season.
“This was a tough weekend for us on the Big Ten schedule and leading into the tournament next weekend,” head coach Melissa Schaub said.
Before the match started, Ohio State honored their three seniors — Akanksha Bhan, Atway and Cantos Siemers — and fitting for Senior Day, the doubles point and team match were earned by seniors.
Cantos Siemers and freshman Luciana Perry, now ranked No. 34 in doubles, worked together to defeat junior Megan Heuser and senior Kate Duong, 6-2, on court one.
The point was clinched when freshman Alessia Cau and Atway downed fifth-year Josie Frazier and freshman Alice Xu, 6-3, on court three, putting Ohio State at an early advantage going into singles.
“I’m really happy for Maddie Atway, out there clinching the doubles point,” Schaub said. “Hopefully she feels good about that.”
Singles was a rollercoaster ride for the Buckeyes as the two teams took turns winning their matches. It started with Perry, who posted a 6-1, 6-4 win over sophomore McKenna Schaefbauer on court two.
In the second set, Perry was up a break, but Schaefbauer came back and won three games in a row for a 3-3 set. However after both players held for 4-all, Perry moved to a 5-4 advantage, then broke for the set.
“Luciana Perry had a 5-4 deuce point in that second set and as a freshman, she stepped up and got it done,” Schaub said.
Junior Sydni Ratliff followed by putting Ohio State at a 3-0 lead after her straight-set win over sophomore Violeta Martinez on court three. After winning the first set 6-3, Ratliff was down 4-1 in the second, but claimed three games in a row for another 4-all match, prevailing on the no-ad point, then serving out for a 7-5 win.
“Ratliff was down a break in the second set on her singles and came back, so we had our backs against the wall there for a little bit,” Schaub said.
The Illini responded with two wins in a row from junior Kasia Treiber against freshman Audrey Spencer on court five, and Xu against Bhan on court six, moving the score to 3-2.
“I looked up at the scoreboard at one point and it looked like we were in control, and then all of a sudden it started turning,” Schaub said. “You expect that in a match like this.”
No. 17 Cantos Siemers clinched the Buckeye win, but her match was nothing short of difficult. The Buckeye claimed the first set, 6-4 against Heuser on court one, but struggled in the second set with Heuser up a break early.
“I had some set points against me, so that was a little scary,” Cantos Siemers said. “Honestly, I think I got through because I was just trying to soak it all in, so I should probably do that more often.”
As Cantos Siemers got back on serve, Heuser went ahead and won three games in a row for a 5-2 advantage. For the remainder of the set, it was all Buckeyes as Cantos Siemers did not drop a game the rest of the way, winning two of the games on the no-ad point to claim the set 7-5.
“I was trying not to focus on clinching, but try to just enjoy every minute of it,” Cantos Siemers said. “But to leave and touch away, and come back from a 5-2 in the second set couldn’t have gone any better for me.”
After the season is over, Cantos Siemers will return as an assistant coach for the Buckeyes and said she wants to leave a legacy of circulating kindness both on and off the courts.
“I know it sounds cheesy, but it has gotten us so far,” Cantos Siemers said. “We genuinely love each other and I think it shows. I’m lucky enough to be coaching next year, so I want to keep instilling that within the team.”
The Buckeye will also leave a legacy of being the all-time leader in singles and combined wins in program history, which are both records she set this spring season.
“I think the biggest thing she’s brought this year is, obviously, she’s the winningest player in Ohio State history, singles and doubles,” Schaub said. “That happened recently, but her leadership and what she’s brought off the court is equally as impressive, if not more.”
Up next, the Buckeyes are headed to the Big Ten tournament this weekend in Ann Arbor, Michigan, where they will be the No. 2 seed.
