COLUMBUS, Ohio – The fourth-ranked Ohio State men’s tennis team beat No. 25 Notre Dame, 7-0, Saturday afternoon at the Varsity Tennis Center in Columbus, Ohio. With the win, the Buckeyes improve to 11-2, while Notre Dame drops to 6-5.

 

Devin McCarthy clinched the win for the Scarlet and Gray at No. 3 singles. Playing Blas Moros, McCarthy relinquished only four points en route to a 6-2, 6-2 win. McCarthy, a redshirt senior, improves to 6-2 at the No. 3 position.

 

Senior and No. 30 Connor Smith lifted Ohio State to a 2-0 lead after beating Wyatt McCoy, 6-0, 6-4, at No. 5 singles.  Smith earned his 10th dual victory of the season to bring his win total to 18 (four losses). Playing at the top position, junior Blaz Rola, No. 62, improved his win streak to eight and remains undefeated on the season at 8-0. Rola handed Greg Andrews, ranked 71st, a 6-4, 6-1 loss and propelled the Scarlet and Gray to a 3-0 lead before McCarthy’s victory.

 

For the 12th time this season, Ohio State won the doubles point. Paced by wins on courts Nos. 2 and 3, the Buckeyes entered the singles competition with a 1-0 lead. The pair of McCarthy and Ille Van Engelen won their third-consecutive match and gave the Scarlet and Gray an early advantage when they beat No. 55 Billy Pecor and Alex Lawson, 8-3. Soon after, Rola and Kevin Metka, who recently were named to the 2013 ITA Team Indoor Championship All-Tournament Team, finished at No. 3 doubles with an 8-4 victory vs. Matt Dooley and Quentin Monaghan. Rola and Metka have now won six consecutive matches, all on court No. 3. Buckeyes Peter Kobelt and Smith, ranked 55th in the nation, completed their match at the No. 1 position with an 8-3 win vs. Greg Andrews and Spencer Talmadge.

 

A trio of Buckeyes finished out their matches with a victory. Redshirt freshman Chris Diaz was a 6-4, 6-4 winner vs. Billy Pecor at No. 4 singles, while Hunter Callahan rallied from a deficit to beat Michael Moore, 3-6, 6-3, 6-3 at No. 6 singles. Finally, Kobelt concluded the day with a 6-3, 5-7, 1-0 (14-12) victory vs. Monaghan.

 

Up next, Ohio State will face No. 24 LSU at noon Sunday in the Varsity Tennis Center at 880 W. Henderson Road.

 

Tennis Match Results

Notre Dame vs. Ohio State

Feb. 23, 2013 at Columbus, Ohio

(Varsity Tennis Center)

 

#4 Ohio State 7, #25 Notre Dame 0

 

Singles competition 

1. #62 Blaz Rola (OSU) def. #71 Greg Andrews (ND) 6-4, 6-1

2. #2 Peter Kobelt (OSU) def. Quentin Monaghan (ND) 6-3, 5-7, 1-0 (14-12)

3. Devin McCarthy (OSU) def. Blas Moros (ND) 6-2, 6-2

4. #37 Chris Diaz (OSU) def. Billy Pecor (ND) 6-4, 6-4

5. #30 Connor Smith (OSU) def. Wyatt McCoy (ND) 6-0, 6-4

6. Hunter Callahan (OSU) def. Michael Moore (ND) 3-6, 6-3, 6-3

 

Doubles competition 

1. #36 Peter Kobelt/Connor Smith (OSU) def. Greg Andrews/Spencer Talmadge (ND) 8-3

2. Devin McCarthy/Ille Van Engelen (OSU) def. #55 Billy Pecor/Alex Lawson (ND) 8-3

3. Blaz Rola/Kevin Metka (OSU) def. Matt Dooley/Quentin Monaghan (ND) 8-4

 

Match Notes:

Notre Dame 6-5; National ranking #25

Ohio State 11-2; National ranking #4

Order of finish: Doubles (2,3,1); Singles (5,1,3,4,6,2)

Official: Jerri Banks  T-3:00  A-336