Eric Boggs
Ohio State men’s tennis faced a tough challenge in their NCAA semifinal match on Saturday afternoon.
Playing in front of a large crowd of Buckeyes fans in Stillwater, Oklahoma, the top-seeded team started strong in doubles but struggled in singles. Despite winning the doubles point, No. 1 Ohio State fell to No. 4 seed TCU, losing 4-2. This loss was particularly tough as the Buckeyes had defeated TCU in the semifinals the previous year and for the ITA Indoor Team National Championship this past February. But it wasn’t meant to be today.
The match began well for Ohio State. In doubles, Robert Cash and JJ Tracy had a tight match but lost 6-4 to TCU’s Jake Fearnley and Pedro Vives. However, Andrew Lutschaunig and Justin Boulais won their match 6-3, and Cannon Kingsley and Jack Anthrop clinched the doubles point for Ohio State with a thrilling 7-6 victory.
Singles play, however, was challenging. TCU took four of the six first sets, eventually winning four out of five completed singles matches. Boulais lost in straight sets, 4-6, 5-7, to TCU’s Jack Pinnington. Kingsley, after losing the first set 5-7, fought back to win the second set 7-5 but lost the third set 2-6.
Tracy also faced a tough match. He lost the first set 6-7 after leading 4-1 and 5-2. He won the second set 6-3 and was leading 4-3 in the third set before the match was halted because TCU had already secured the victory.
Anthrop secured the only singles win for Ohio State, winning his match in three sets: 6-3, 3-6, 7-5. Bernard lost his match in straight sets, 3-6, 4-6, and Cash, despite a strong start winning the first set 6-1, lost the next two sets 2-6, 5-7.
This loss means Ohio State will continue to seek its first NCAA championship, having now reached the semifinals eight times since 2009 without winning the title.
