College Tennis News - Boomer Sooner - OU over Ohio State 4-1

Pictured Oklahoma's Dane Webb

Norman, OK-- No. 4 Oklahoma toppled No. 1 Ohio State, 4-1, at the Headington Family Tennis Center Friday night.

The result delivered the biggest win in the Sooners’ men’s tennis (13-1) history and the first loss of the season for the Buckeyes (17-1).

“It was a great effort. We went out and executed,” OU head coach John Roddick said. “We played very aggressive. Ohio State, I give them credit for almost coming back and taking it from us. Our guys stepped up when it got hard.”

Dane Webb clinched OU’s third singles point in No. 4 singles with a 6-4, 7-5 win over Ohio State’s Kevin Metka for the overall victory.

“We’re playing well and we’ve had some top-10 wins already, but that shows that we can really beat anybody,” Webb said. “It really just gives us confidence, because we knew we had the level but we still haven’t got any of those wins. Once you get one like this then it really shows you that you’re ready.”

Oklahoma jumped to an early lead in all three doubles matches, but didn’t claim the point until facing tiebreakers on two courts.

“We played a great doubles point,” Roddick said. “I think that was the difference. We probably outplayed them for the majority of the match and they almost stole it from us in the end.”

OU’s Guillermo Alcorta and Axel Alvarez cruised to an 8-4 decision over OSU’s Hunter Callahan and Herkko Pollanen to take the early advantage. Ohio State rallied from two-game deficits to force tiebreakers in 1 and 3 doubles, capturing one before the Sooners clinched the first point.

The third-rated duo of Metka and Peter Kolbet finished OU’s Webb and Andrew Harris 8-7 (2) while No. 60 Nick Papac and Peerakit Siributwong defended for an 8-7 (3) win over Ralf Steinbach and Chris Diaz for the first team point.

In No. 3 singles, Oklahoma freshman Andrew Harris dispatched Diaz 6-1, 6-3, before Ohio State claimed its lone point on court 5.

Austin Siegel defeated Callahan, 6-2, 7-5, and then Webb finished Metka in straight sets for the win over the nation’s No. 1 team.

“(Dane and Austin), both of them lost their serves late in second sets. The dug in and competed and served it out. Losing the serve and gaining it back and finishing -- those are huge steps for guys like that to take.

The match was played outdoors and started in 66-degree weather with strong breezes. It finished 3 ½ hours later at 54 degrees, under darkness and calm winds.

“We’re obviously happy with the result. It’s still a non-conference match, they’re still the number one team in the country right now and they’ve beaten just about every good team in the country.

"Our players have been in big tournaments and had big wins in their individual careers; they understand what it means to have a big match and to rebound. The thing is we have to go out and play a good match on Sunday and practice tomorrow.”

Oklahoma next hosts No. 21 Wake Forest Sunday at noon.

No. 4 Oklahoma 4, No. 1 Ohio State 1
Headington Family Tennis Center | Norman, Okla.

Singles
1. (3) Axel Alvarez (OU) vs. (9) Peter Kobelt (OSU), 7-6, 6-4 unfinished
2. (2) Guillermo Alcorta (OU) vs. (88) Herkko Pollanen (OSU), 6-2, 4-6, 0-1 unfinished
3. (25) Andrew Harris (OU) def. Chris Diaz (OSU), 6-1, 6-3
4. (24) Dane Webb (OU) def. Kevin Metka (OSU), 6-4, 7-5
5. Ralf Steinbach (OSU) def. Peerakit Siributwong (OU), 6-4, 6-2
6. Austin Siegel (OU) def. (72) Hunter Callahan (OSU), 6-2, 7-5

Doubles
1. (3) Kobelt/Metka (OSU) def. (46) Harris/Webb (OU), 8-7 (2)
2. Alcorta/Alvarez (OU) def. Callahan/ Pollanen (OSU), 8-4
3. (60) Papac/Siributwong (OU) def. Steinbach/Diaz (OSU), 8-7 (3)

Order of Finish
Singles: 3, 5, 6, 4*
Doubles: 2, 1, 3

Time: 3 hours, 30 minutes