Ohio State University Team Page
COLUMBUS, Ohio – The seventh-ranked Ohio State men’s tennis team beat Penn State, 7-0, Saturday afternoon at the Indoor Tennis Center in University Park, Pa. With the win, the Buckeyes improve to 14-2 overall and 1-0 in the Big Ten, while Penn State drops to 5-7 (0-1 Big Ten).
No. 17 Blaz Rola clinched the victory for the Scarlet and Gray at No. 2 singles. Rola needed three sets to defeat Tomas Hanzlik, 6-1, 4-6, 6-2. Rola, a junior, improves to 10-0 on the season and 3-0 on court No. 2.
The two other victories needed to reach four points came from wins at Nos. 4 and 3 singles.
Ille Van Engelen surrendered just two points en route to a 6-1, 6-1 victory over Roman Trkulja on court four. In third singles Devin McCarthy was a 7-5, 6-4 winner vs. Russell Bader.
Another Doubles Point
With wins on all three courts, the Buckeyes captured the doubles point for the 14th time this season. The first Buckeye victory came from Rola and Kevin Metka when they finished at No. 3 doubles with an 8-0 shutout against Hanzlik and Trkulja. Rola and Metka have now won eight consecutive matches, all on court three. Next, the No. 16 ranked pair of Peter Kobelt and Connor Smith finished their match on court No. 1 with an 8-3 win over Bader and Guanhua Chen. Last, but not least, the 12th-ranked duo of McCarthy and Van Engelen defeated C.J. Griffin and Bryan Welnetz 8-3 on court No. 2.
Singles Synopsis
After securing the doubles point, the Buckeyes needed just three singles wins to clinch the victory over Penn State. The first of those three victories came from Van Engelen, a 6-1, 6-1 winner over Trkulja. Next, McCarthy won 7-5, 6-4 vs. Bader and shortly after Rola clinched the victory with a 6-1, 4-6, 6-2 defeat of Hanzlik.
Three Buckeyes played out their matches and won after the fourth point was clinched. Hunter Callahanwon 6-4, 6-3 vs. Chris Young at No. 4 singles. The second ranked player in the country, Kobelt outlasted Welnetz 6-7, 6-2, 7-6 on court one. Finally in sixth singles, Constantin Christ defeated C.J. Griffin 6-2, 6-3.
Up Next
The Buckeyes will play their third-consecutive road match as they head to Malibu, Calif., to take on No. 12 Pepperdine at 4 p.m. March 12. The last time the Buckeyes and Waves squared-off was in the ITA Team Indoor Championships, a match in which Ohio State came away with a 4-0 victory.
Tennis Match Results
Ohio State vs. Penn State
March 2, 2013 at University Park, Pa.
(Indoor Tennis Center)
#7 Ohio State 7, Penn State 0
Singles:
1. #2 Peter Kobelt (OSU) def. Bryan Welnetz (PSU), 6-7, 6-2, 7-6
2. #17 Blaz Rola (OSU) def. Tomas Hanzlik (PSU), 6-1, 4-6, 6-2
3. Devin McCarthy (OSU) def. Russell Bader (PSU), 7-5, 6-4
4. Ille Van Engelen (OSU) def. Roman Trkulja (PSU), 6-1, 6-1
5. Hunter Callahan (OSU) def. Chris Young (PSU), 6-4, 6-3
6. Constantin Christ (OSU) def. C.J. Griffin (PSU), 6-2, 6-3
Order of Finish: 4, 3, 2, 5, 1, 6
Doubles:
1. #16 Kobelt/Smith (OSU) def. Bader/Chen(PSU), 8-3
2. #12 McCarthy/Van Engelen (OSU) def. Griffin/Welnetz(PSU), 8-3
3. Metka/Rola (OSU) def. Hanzlik/Trkulja(PSU), 8-0
Order of Finish: 3, 1, 2
Match Notes:
Ohio State (14-2; 1-0 Big Ten)
Penn State (5-7; 0-1 Big Ten)
