COLUMBUS, Ohio- For the third time in four years, the Ohio State men's tennis team swept the singles and doubles championships at the USTA/ITA Midwest Regionals. Senior Peter Kobelt won the singles title before partnering with redshirt junior Kevin Metka to capture the doubles crown Monday at the Varsity Tennis Center.
With the wins, Kobelt and Metka qualified for the USTA/ITA National Indoor Intercollegiate Championships Nov. 7-10 at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing, N.Y. "National Indoors" features the nation's top men's and women's collegiate tennis players in a 32-player singles field and 20-team doubles field.
In all, six Buckeyes have won the Midwest regional title eight times. Kobelt joins Blaz Rola as the only two-time winners.
All-time Ohio State Midwest Regional Singles Winners
2003 - Jeremy Wurtzman
2006 - Steven Moneke
2007 - Justin Kronauge
2008 - Bryan Koniecko
2010 - Blaz Rola
2011 - Blaz Rola
2012 - Peter Kobelt
2013 - Peter Kobelt
Playing back-to-back singles matches Monday, Kobelt, ranked third in the preseason ITA polls, used a straight-set 6-1, 6-4 win to dispatch Illinois' Farris Gosea in the semifinals. A Central Ohio native from New Albany, Kobelt held on for a dramatic 6-4, 5-7, 7-6(2) victory vs. Notre Dame's Greg Andrews in the final for his second-consecutive regional singles title. In the other singles semifinal, redshirt junior Hunter Callahan dropped a 6-1, 4-6, 6-2 decision to Andrews.
For the fourth time in Ohio State history, a Buckeye doubles team won the regional title, the last happening in 2011 when Kobelt paired with Chase Buchanan. In all, Kobelt has won three regional doubles title, all with three different partners.
All-time Ohio State Midwest Regional Doubles Winners
2007 - Drew Eberly/Justin Kronauge
2010 - Matt Allare/Peter Kobelt
2011 - Chase Buchanan/Peter Kobelt
2013 - Kevin Metka/Peter Kobelt
Monday, it took a tiebreaker between Kobelt and Metka and Notre Dame's Andrews and Alex Lawson to decide the winner. Eventually, Kobelt and Metka, a native of Worthington, Ohio, won a tight tiebreaker, 7-5 for the 8-7 victory.
2013 Midwest Regional
Oct. 17-21
Varsity Tennis Center
Racquet Club of Columbus
Columbus, Ohio
Singles Competition
Semifinals
Peter Kobelt (Ohio State) def. Farris Gosea (Illinois), 6-1, 6-4
Greg Andrews (Notre Dame) def. Hunter Callahan (Ohio State), 6-1, 4-6, 6-2
Final
Peter Kobelt (Ohio State) def. Greg Andrews (Notre Dame), 6-4, 5-7, 7-6(2)
Doubles Competition
Final
Peter Kobelt/Kevin Metka (Ohio State) def. Alex Lawson/Greg Andrews (Notre Dame), 8-7(5)
