TULSA, Okla. - Florian Lakat trailed in the third set to the nation's top-ranked player but grinded out a three-set victory to clinch California's 4-3, NCAA quarterfinal win over fifth-seeded Ohio State at the Michael D. Case Tennis Center and send the Golden Bears to their first semifinal since 1991.
Lakat, ranked 30th, prevailed 6-3, 2-6, 7-6(6) over No. 1-ranked Mikael Torpegaard at court-one singles, with the rest of the Bears rushing the court and forming a dogpile in celebration.
Cal now has two teams in the semifinals of the NCAA Championships, as the Cal men join the Cal women in the semis on Monday in Tulsa.
A full recap will follow.
#13 California (21-6) def. #5 Ohio State (33-2, 4-3 • Michael D. Case Tennis Center • 12 noon
Head Coaches: Ty Tucker (Ohio State) and Peter Wright (California)
Doubles
1. Herkko Pollanen/Mikael Torpegaard (Ohio State) def. #9 Filip Bergevi/Florian Lakat (California), 6-1
2. Andre Goransson/Oskar Wikberg (California) def. Martin Joyce/Ralf Steinbach (Ohio State), 6-3
3. Mads Engsted/J.T. Nishimura (California) def. Hugo Di Feo/Matt Mendez (Ohio State), 6-3
Cal won the doubles point
Order of Finish: 1, 3, 2
Singles
1. #30 Florian Lakat (California) def. #1 Mikael Torpegaard (Ohio State), 6-3, 2-6, 7-6 (6)
2. #88 Chris Diaz (Ohio State) def. #31 Andre Goransson (California), 5-7, 6-3, 6-2
3. #45 Hugo Di Feo (Ohio State) def. #85 Billy Griffith (California), 3-6, 6-4, 6-3
4. #119 Filip Bergevi (California) def. Ralf Steinbach (Ohio State), 6-4, 6-2
5. #124 Oskar Wikberg (California) def. #103 Herkko Pollanen (Ohio State), 6-4, 6-3
6. Martin Joyce (Ohio State) def. J.T. Nishimura (California), 6-3, 6-2
Order of Finish: 4, 6, 5, 3, 2, 1
