Buckeyes prepare for Illini fight
By Matt Friedman
After sweeping through the first two rounds of the NCAA Tournament last weekend, the No. 2 men’s tennis team hopes to serve up revenge in a 2007 quarterfinal re-match with conference foe Illinois Friday.
The Bucks beat Cleveland State 4-0 on Saturday at Stickney Tennis Center and then were pushed indoors by the rain and tornado warnings on Sunday, when they handed East Tennessee State a 4-0 defeat to advance to the round of 16. Coach Ty Tucker improved his NCAA Tournament record to 16-8.
The Buckeyes also broke the school’s single-season record for wins with 34 when they beat East Tennessee State.
“We are improving every year; it shows we don’t stop working hard,” junior Bryan Koniecko said. “That’s what this program is about; setting new goals for ourselves.”
Ohio State now has a shot to reach the NCAA Quarterfinals for the fourth time in five years, but it will have to get by Illinois, the team that eliminated them from the tourney in 2007 with a 4-2 win in the quarterfinals.
Besides a change of rounds and scenery, the lead-up to this season’s match is quite similar to 2007. The Buckeyes took care of Illinois 7-0 and 4-1 last season before falling to the Fighting Illini in the tournament. OSU has won both meetings again this year, including a 4-3 victory in the Big Ten Tournament finals. The team is definitely more aware of their foe this time around.
“Hopefully there isn’t a trend,” Tucker said about his team’s history with Illinois. “They are a tough team, they are very good, and come Friday in Tulsa, it will be a fight.”
The quarterfinal defeat last season went down as a big upset, as the Buckeyes were ranked No. 2 and Illinois No. 10.
“It’s a tough pill to swallow,” Tucker said, following that season-ending loss. “Hopefully we’ll come back next year, but this one hurts.”
Now, Tucker and his team are back and have the chance to oust the team that eliminated them, with a match at 4 p.m. Friday in Tulsa, Okla.
“I’m looking forward to it,” Koniecko said. “Last year we didn’t do what we were supposed to do. This year I’m confident, I think we should play well.”
Return of the Matt
The weekend marked the return of freshman Matt Allare, who had missed over a month with a broken foot. He helped the Buckeyes win the doubles point and had singles victories in both matches, and also clinched the match against Cleveland State with a 6-0, 6-3 triumph at No. 5 singles.
“Matt is unbelievable; he is one of the most impressive freshmen we have had here,” senior Captain Drew Eberly said. “I couldn’t be happier for him to get a win, and he will be a big part of our run.”
Eberly is also a key to the team’s success and is hitting his stride following his return from appendicitis one month ago. He clinched the Sunday victory with a 6-2, 7-5 win at No. 6 singles.
“It felt good to get a win under my belt; it has been awhile since the surgery,” Eberly said. “I served really well today and felt really good for the first time in awhile.”
Advantage, Buckeyes
The last home match and win of the season improved the Bucks’ mammoth home winning streak to 73 matches. The team credited the comforts of home and the fans following Sunday’s win.
“I love playing in front of our crowd,” Koniecko said. “They are awesome and they are there for us every point; it’s a huge advantage for us.”
“To beat somebody up in their backyard in the middle of May is a tough feat; it’s not going to happen much,” Tucker said. “It feels good to be able to host and play matches in front of loyal fans.”
Match Point
After the NCAA team tournament is complete, some Buckeyes will compete for the NCAA Singles and Doubles Championships. Koniecko, the Big Ten Player of the Year, along with teammates Steve Moneke and Justin Kronauge, will play in the tournament for the singles title. The teams of Koniecko and Moneke and Eberly and Kronauge will battle for the doubles championship.
Originally Published: Issue 648 - May 14, 2008
 |
Share on Facebook |
