Michigan
Ohio State
Wolverines Drop Heartbreaker in B1G Championship Match
4/27/2025 12:34:00 AM | Women's Tennis
Site: Ojai, Calif. (Libbey Park)
Event: Big Ten Tournament (Finals)
Score: No. 9 Ohio State 4, No. 3 Michigan 3
Records: U-M (23-4), OSU (21-3)
Next U-M Event: Monday, April 28 -- NCAA Selection Show (NCAA.com), 5 p.m.
OJAI, Calif. -- The No. 3-ranked University of Michigan women's tennis team held a match point with a chance to clinch the Big Ten Tournament title, but No. 9-ranked Ohio State fought back to win the final two matches and pull out a 4-3 victory on Saturday (April 26) at Libbey Park.
Michigan struck first by winning the doubles point behind victories at No. 3 and No. 1. However, Ohio State answered quickly in singles, taking four first sets.
The Buckeyes claimed the first two singles matches off court to erase the Michigan lead and pull ahead, 2-1.
The Wolverines rallied behind the bottom of their lineup, as Reese Miller and Jessica Bernales each secured three-set wins to move Michigan back in front.
Miller rebounded from a 6-0 first-set loss to post a 0-6, 6-2, 6-2 win at No. 5 over Shelly Bereznyak, evening the team match at 2-2. After racing out to a big second-set lead, Miller carried the momentum into the third to secure Michigan's second point.
Bernales followed with a 7-6 (6), 2-6, 6-1 win over No. 99-ranked Audrey Spencer at No. 6. After trailing 4-1 in the first-set tiebreaker, Bernales rallied for the win and seized control in the final set to give Michigan a 3-2 advantage.
Needing just one more point, the Wolverines had chances at No. 3 and No. 4 singles. Lily Jones forced a third set at No. 3, while Emily Sartz-Lunde held a match point in her second-set tiebreaker at No. 4 but could not convert.
Jones broke serve to start her third set but was immediately broken back. The set stayed on serve until Jones was broken at 5-3 to allow Ohio State to even the match at 3-3.
All eyes turned to No. 4 singles, where Sartz-Lunde and Nao Nishino entered a decisive third set. Sartz-Lunde grabbed an early break for a 2-1 lead but gave it back the next game. Both players held serve to 3-3 before an overruled line call helped Ohio State break and build a 5-3 lead. Although Sartz-Lunde broke back to stay alive, she was broken again in the following game as Ohio State clinched the 4-3 win.
Michigan now turns its attention to the NCAA Tournament, with the selection show set for Monday (April 28) at 5 p.m. on NCAA.com.
Following are match-by-match results
Singles
No. 1 -- No. 30 Teah Chavez (OSU) d. No. 5 Julia Fliegner (U-M), 6-3, 6-3
No. 2 -- No. 10 Luciana Perry (OSU) d. No. 25 Piper Charney (U-M), 6-4, 6-3
No. 3 -- No. 94 Sydni Ratliff (OSU) d. No. 41 Lily Jones (U-M), 7-5, 4-6, 6-3
No. 4 -- Nao Nishino (OSU) d. No. 82 Emily Sartz-Lunde (U-M), 6-7 (5), 7-6 (7), 6-4
No. 5 -- Reese Miller (U-M) d. Shelly Bereznyak (OSU), 0-6, 6-2, 6-2
No. 6 -- Jessica Bernales (U-M) d. No. 99 Audrey Spencer (OSU), 7-6 (6), 2-6, 6-1
Doubles
No. 1 -- No. 20 Lily Jones/Jessica Bernales (U-M) d. No. 19 Teah Chavez/Luciana Perry (OSU), 6-3
No. 2 -- Julia Fliegner/Reese Miller (U-M) vs. Audrey Spencer/Nao Nishino (OSU), 3-3 abandoned
No. 3 -- Piper Charney/Emily Sartz-Lunde (U-M) d. Sydni Ratliff/Dani Schoenly (OSU), 6-1
Order of Completion: Doubles 3-1; Singles 2-1-5-6-3-4
Players Mentioned
