Michigan
Ohio State
Michigan Battles, but Falls to Top-ranked Ohio State
3/17/2024 6:39:00 PM | Men's Tennis
Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (Varsity Tennis Center)
Score: #1 Ohio State 4, Michigan 0
Records: U-M (6-10), OSU (18-1)
Next U-M Event: Friday, March 22 -- vs. Wisconsin (Varsity Tennis Center), 5 p.m.
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- In the annual non-conference match between the two collegiate rivals, top-ranked Ohio State took a 4-0 victory over the University of Michigan men's tennis team on Sunday (March 17) at the Varsity Tennis Center.
The Buckeyes took the doubles point after its No. 5-ranked pair of Robert Cash and JJ Tracy took a 6-3 match from No. 49 ranked Gavin Young and Jacob Bickersteth. Both courts 2 and 3 were knotted at 3-3 with the point fair game. OSU's duo of Andrew Lutschaunig and Justin Boulais won the next three points to grab a 6-3 win over Will Cooksey and Alex Cairo at No. 2, while Mert Oral and Bjorn Swenson held a 5-3 advantage at No. 3 when their match was abandoned.
No. 16-ranked Jack Anthrop gave OSU a 2-0 lead with a 6-1, 6-2 win over Nicholas Steiglehner at No. 4, and Bryce Nakashima topped Cairo 6-3, 6-2 at No. 6 to push the lead to 3-0.
The final point came at No. 2 with No. 32-ranked Boulais topping No. 92 Bickersteth 6-3, 7-6 (7). Down 3-1 in the second set, Bickersteth took control, winning four of the next five games to take a 5-4 edge. At 40-40, Bickersteth fought off match point to even the set at 6-6 and force the tiebreak. Tied at 7-7 in the breaker, Boulais claimed the final two points to clinch the match.
Swenson had forced a third set against No. 7 Tracy, No. 14-ranked Young was in the midst of a first-set tiebreak with No. 17 Cannon Kingsley, and Cooksey was in the third set with No. 91 Alexander Bernard, but all three matches were abandoned when the fourth point was secured.
Up next, Michigan begins Big Ten play next weekend, hosting Wisconsin on Friday (March 22) at 5 p.m. and Nebraska at noon on Sunday (March 24) at the Varsity Tennis Center.
Following are match-by-match results
Singles
No. 1 – No. 17 Cannon Kingsley (Ohio State) vs. No. 14 Gavin Young (U-M), 7-6 (3), 4-5 abandoned
No. 2 – No. 32 Justin Boulais (Ohio State) d. No. 92 Jacob Bickersteth (U-M), 6-3, 7-6 (7)
No. 3 – Bjorn Swenson (U-M) vs. No. 7 JJ Tracy (Ohio State), 6-2, 3-6, 4-1 abandoned
No. 4 – No. 16 Jack Anthrop (Ohio State) d. Nicholas Steiglehner (U-M) 6-1, 6-2
No. 5 – No. 91 Alexander Bernard (Ohio State) vs. Will Cooksey (U-M), 6-0, 5-7, 4-2 abandoned
No. 6 – Bryce Nakashima (Ohio State) d. Alex Cairo (U-M) 6-3, 6-2
Doubles
No. 1 – No. 5 Robert Cash/JJ Tracy (Ohio State) d. No. 49 Gavin Young/Jacob Bickersteth (U-M), 6-3
No. 2 – Andrew Lutschaunig/Justin Boulais (Ohio State) d. Will Cooksey/Alex Cairo (U-M), 6-3
No. 3 Bjorn Swenson/Mert Oral (U-M) vs. Jack Anthrop/Alexander Bernard (Ohio State), 5-3 abandoned
Order of Completion: Doubles 2-1, Singles 4-6-2
Players Mentioned
