The Buckeyes huddle together during the Ohio State-Michigan match Friday. Ohio State won 4-3. Credit: Athena Markowski | Social Media Editor
No. 8 Ohio State defeated No. 19 Michigan 4-3 Friday at the Ty Tucker Tennis Center to remain undefeated in Big Ten play.
It was a tightly contested match that wasn’t decided until the final two matches as the Buckeyes trailed 3-2. Head coach Melissa Schaub said the match could’ve gone either way.
“I think we showed a lot of character in how we stayed out there and how we competed,” Schaub said. “I have a ton of respect for Michigan and what they’ve done. They’re better than their ranking. I think they can beat anybody.”
Ohio State (11-4, 4-0 Big Ten) got off to an early 1-0 lead after winning the doubles point.
Senior Isabelle Boulais and junior Kathleen Jones took down a Michigan (10-5, 4-1 Big Ten) duo that included sophomore Kari Miller, ranked No. 11 in singles, and junior Nicole Hammond, ranked No. 102 in singles, 6-1 on court two.
The No. 72 ranked Wolverine duo that consists of sophomore Jaeden Brown and junior Andrea Cerdan defeated senior Kolie Allen and freshman Sydni Ratliff 6-2 on court one, which left junior Irina Cantos Siemers and junior Lucia Marzal to knock off senior Anca Craciun and sophomore Gala Mesochoritou 6-2 on court three.
Following doubles play, all but two singles matches required three sets to decide a winner.
Cantos Siemers, who ranks No. 8 in singles, handled Hammond 6-1, 6-2 on court two to give the Buckeyes a 2-0 lead.
But the Wolverines would not go down easy.
After winning her first set against Miller, No. 26 Boulais collapsed in the second set, losing 0-6. Boulais then lost three more games in a row, falling 0-3 in the third set. She was unable to mount a comeback and ultimately lost 6-4, 0-6, 3-6 on court one, giving the Wolverines their first point 2-1.
Michigan kept its momentum rolling when No. 73 Brown quenched another Ohio State comeback, topping Allen 6-1, 4-6, 6-2 on court three. With three matches still to be played, the score tied 2-2.
Sophomore Madeline Atway saw the court in place of graduate student Luna Dormet, who was out because of an injury. Atway played well but was defeated by Mesochoritou 4-6, 6-7 to give the Wolverines a 3-2 lead with two matches left to be played.
On court four, Ratliff and Cerdan went back and forth for the entirety of three sets, as did Marzal and freshman Julia Fliegner on court five. Both matches ended simultaneously.
Marzal struck first and won her first set by a close 7-6. However, it was all Fliegner in the second set, who thwarted Marzal 6-0. With one set to decide the match, both players vied for victory, and Marzal pulled away at the last minute to win 6-4. The match was tied 3-3 with one court, one set and two athletes left: No. 60 Ratliff and No. 111 Cerdan.
Ratliff knocked off Cerdan 7-5, 4-6, 6-4 to bring home the Ohio State win, met by a stampede of scarlet skirts as her team swarmed around her to congratulate her on the victory.
Ohio State remains undefeated at home and in Big Ten play.
“I definitely don’t try to start down; it just kind of happens,” Ratliff said. “But to come back, my last two matches I’ve had to do that, so I think it just shows my grittiness and my toughness. I’m not willing to quit in my matches.”
The Buckeyes’ next match is Sunday at noon, where they’ll face Michigan State. The match will be played outdoors at the Auer Tennis Complex.
