COLUMBUS, Ohio – Again for the second consecutive time, Ohio State (14-9, 6-4) teetered on winning the match, but was short by just one singles match. The Buckeyes lost today by a score of 4-3 against the Minnesota Gophers (14-5, 7-2) at the Stickney Tennis Center in their last regular season match. Last week, the Buckeyes were defeated in the same fashion by Wisconsin, 4-3.
In brisk, cold winds, the Golden Gophers took the No. 2 and No 3 matches to score first in doubles. No. 16 Kristy Dascoli (So., Bradenton, Fla.) and Briana Harris (Fr., Bradenton, Fla.) would defeat Jana Hrdinova and Kim Simonsen, 9-7, to snap a three-match losing streak.
Ohio State battled back with Dascoli defeating Nora Sauska, 7-5, 6-4, at the No. 1 spot and Monica Rincon (Fr., Lapeer, Mich.), notching her 21st singles win by defeating Hrdinova, 6-2, 3-6, 6-3 at the No. 4 position. Claudia Castro (Fr., Onalaska, Wis.) also captured a win over Tarah Elkins, 7-6, 6-3. Yet, the Gophers netted two wins at the No. 2 and No. 3 singles positions to remain in the game.
With the score tied, the match came down to Laura Maloney (So., Barrington, Ill.) against Tammy Wang at the No. 6 position. Winning in the first set, 6-3, Maloney looked to breeze to a second-set victory. However, Wang hanged tough to win, 6-3, and split the match. Wang wouldnt look back, winning the third-set, 6-0 and capturing the win for the Gophers.
The Buckeyes will now head to East Lansing, Mich. to compete in the Big Ten Tournament on April 29-May 2.