Saturday, 04/07/2012

MADISON, Wis. –  In a back and forth match at the OSU Varsity Outdoor Tennis Courts in Columbus, Ohio, the Wisconsin women’s tennis team came out on the losing end of a 4-3 matchup with the Ohio State Buckeyes.

The Badgers dropped a match for just the second time this season after picking up the doubles point. The loss sets Wisconsin back to 10-8 overall and 1-5 in Big Ten play, while the Buckeyes improve to 7-12 and 2-4 in conference competition.

A shakeup in the doubles lineups proved to be successful as the Badgers swept Ohio State in doubles.

Senior Alaina Trgovich and sophomore Nicky Stracar paired up at the top spot for the first time this season and came out on top in a match tiebreak, defeating Fidan Manashirova and Gabby Steele, 8-7 (1).

Playing at the two-spot for the first time this season was the Badger duo of junior Hannah Berner and freshman Nova Patel. The pair ousted Kelsey Haviland and Kara Cecil, 8-4.

Freshman Sarah Loebel got her first doubles start this season as she paired up with senior Angela Chupa to defeat Kelsey Dieters and Tiffany Dittmer, 8-3, at court three.

Despite the doubles domination, Wisconsin was unable to build on the success of the doubles and finish off the Buckeyes.

Stracar dropped the first singles match for UW, falling to Cecil in straight sets, 6-2, 6-2 at No. 2.

On court five, Patel regained the Badger lead with a 6-3, 6-2 victory over Steele.

Berner saw her rally fall short at No. 3. After dropping the first set, the Badgers junior came back to take the second set, before falling in the decisive third set. Manashirova’s 6-2, 3-6, 6-2 victory over Berner evened the overall match to 2-2.

Trgovich came up big in a close match at court one, defeating Haviland 7-6 (5), 6-4. Trgovich’s team-best 11th win put the Badgers ahead, 3-2.

Dittmer handed Chupa a loss in three sets on court three to equalize the match again. Despite winning the first set, Chupa came up short in the final two sets, losing, 5-7, 6-4, 7-5.

With the match tied at 3-3, it all came down to court four, where Dieters topped Loebel in another three-set challenge. Loebel took the first set, 6-3, and had a chance to close out the match in a tiebreak for the second set but came up two points short, dropping the second set, 7-6. In the final set, Dieters bested Loebel, 6-2, clinching the match for the Buckeyes.

Up next, the Badgers head to University Park, Pa. to take on the Penn State Nittany Lions. First serve is set for 10 a.m. (CT) in a Sunday, April, 8 dual. 

Final Results:
Ohio State-4, Wisconsin-3

Doubles:
1.) Alaina Trgovich / Nicky Stracar (UW) def. Fidan Manashirova/ Gabby Steele (OSU), 8-7 (1)
2.) Hannah Berner / Nova Patel (UW) def. Kelsey Haviland/ Kara Cecil (OSU), 8-4
3.) Angela Chupa / Sarah Loebel (UW) def. Kelsey Dieters / Tiffany Dittmer (OSU), 8-3

Order of finish:
3, 2, 1

Singles:
1.) Alaina Trgovich (UW) def. Kelsey Haviland (OSU) 7-6 (5), 6-4
2.) Kara Cecil (OSU) def. Nicky Stracar (UW), 6-2, 6-2
3.) Fidan Manashirova (OSU) def. Hannah Berner (UW), 6-2, 3-6, 6-2
4.) Kelsey Dieters (OSU) def. Sarah Loebel (UW), 3-6, 7-6 (5), 6-2
5.) Nova Patel (UW) def. Gabby Steele (OSU), 6-3, 6-2
6.) Tiffany Dittmer (OSU) def. Angela Chupa (UW), 5-7, 6-4, 7-5

Order of finish:
2, 5, 3, 1, 6, 4