University of Minnesota Athletics
University of Minnesota
Ohio State
Gophers Drop 4-3 Decision At Ohio State
4/8/2012 12:00:00 AM | Tennis
The Minnesota women's tennis team dropped a 4-3 match at Ohio State on Sunday afternoon. The match was contested outdoors at the OSU Varsity Tennis Courts. The Gophers are now 13-5 overall and 3-
Minnesota, which had snapped a three-match losing streak at Penn State on Friday, got off to a quick start in doubles as it won all three matches to claim the doubles point and a 1-0 lead in the match. The No. 33 Gophers also won all three matches in doubles on Friday against the Nittany Lions.
The Gophers' top pairing of Natallia Pintusava and Magdalena Wiecha, which is ranked No. 39, posted an 8-3 win at first doubles against Gabby Steele and Fidan Manashirova. Pintusava and Wiecha won their second straight match after dropping an 8-1 decision against Illinois last week and are now 10-2 during the spring season.
Doron Muravnik and Alexa Palen cruised to an 8-2 win at the second position against Kelsey Haviland and Kara Cecil, while Julia Courter and Aria Lammbert won 8-5 against Kelsey Dieters and Tiffany Dittmer and the third slot.
The Gophers took a 1-0 lead into singles play, but only Pintusava and Muravnik were able to post wins as five of the six matches went three sets.
The Buckeyes won the first four matches in singles play, starting with a straight-set win at No. 2. Cecil beat Palen 6-2, 6-4 to put Ohio State on the board and tie the overall match 1-1.
Steel them put Ohio State up for good with a 6-3, 1-6, 6-2 win at No. 5 singles against Yuliana Umanets. Dittmer then followed with a 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 victory against Lambert at six singles. Dieters then clinched the match for the Buckeyes as she rallied to beat Courter 3-6, 6-1, 6-4 at the fourth position.
With the overall match already decided, Pintusava overcame a first-set loss and posted a 6-7 (7-9), 6-1, 6-2 win at first singles against Haviland. Muravnik then ended the competition with a 7-6 (7-3), 3-6, 1-0 (10-8) win at the third slot.
Pintusava earned her 11th win of the spring season, while Muravnik earned her team-leading 13th victory. Muravnik leads Minnesota with an overall record of 22-7.
The Gophers have four Big Ten matches left in the regular season and three of them are at Baseline Tennis Center. Minnesota welcomes Indiana to the Twin Cities for a 3:30 p.m. match on April 13, before playing host to Purdue for a noon tilt on April 15. The Gophers then head to Nebraska for a match on April 20, before returning home for Senior Day against Iowa on April 22.
Tennis Match Results
Minnesota vs Ohio State
Apr 08, 2012 at Columbus, Ohio
(OSU Varsity Tennis Courts)
Ohio State 4, #33 Minnesota 3
Singles competition
1. Natallia Pintusava (MINN) def. Kelsey Haviland (OSU) 6-7 (7-9), 6-1, 6-2
2. Kara Cecil (OSU) def. Alexa Palen (MINN) 6-2, 6-4
3. Doron Muravnik (MINN) def. Fidan Manashirova (OSU) 7-6 (7-3), 3-6, 10-8
4. Kelsey Dieters (OSU) def. Julia Courter (MINN) 3-6, 6-1, 6-4
5. Gabby Steele (OSU) def. Yuliana Umanets (MINN) 6-3, 1-6, 6-2
6. Tiffany Dittmer (OSU) def. Aria Lambert (MINN) 6-4, 4-6, 6-4
Doubles competition
1. Natallia Pintusava / Magdalena Wiecha (MINN) def. Fidan Manashirova/Gabby Steele (OSU) 8-3
2. Doron Muravnik / Alexa Palen (MINN) def. Kelsey Haviland/Kara Cecil (OSU) 8-2
3. Julia Courter / Aria Lambert (MINN) def. Kelsey Dieters/Tiffany Dittmer (OSU) 8-5
Match Notes:
Minnesota 13-5 (3-4 Big Ten); National ranking #33
Ohio State 8-12 (3-4 Big Ten)
Order of finish: Doubles (2,1,3); Singles (2,5,6,4,1,3)
T-4:11
