Pepperdine University
Ohio State
#3 Ohio State Halts #12 Pepperdine, 4-1
2/3/2012 12:00:00 AM | Men's Tennis
Feb. 3, 2012
COLUMBUS, Ohio - Alex Llompart and Finn Tearney defeated the #1-ranked doubles pair in the NCAA, but it was not enough as the #12 Pepperdine men's team suffered a 4-1 loss to #3 Ohio State inside the Varsity Tennis Center.
The Waves fall to 3-1 on the season, while the Buckeyes improve to a perfect 7-0.
Although OSU won the doubles point with wins on courts two and three, Llompart (Carolina, Puerto Rico/San Juan Educational School) and Tearney (Wellington, New Zealand/Wellington College) issued the NCAA's #1-ranked pair of Blaz Rola and Chase Buchanan their first loss of the 2011-12 season.
This is not the first time Llompart and Tearney have earned the "W" against one of the nation's most highly touted doubles pairs. Last season, the Wave tandem upset Texas A&M's Austin Krajicek and Jeff Dadamo, ranked #2 by the ITA at the time, 9-7. The Aggie twosome would go onto win the 2011 NCAA Championship doubles title.
Faced with the challenge of having to win four of the six singles matches after losing the doubles point, the Waves fought game-for-game with the Buckeyes. Four first sets were determined by a single break of serve, while Sebastian Fanselow (Essen, Germany/Kaplan College Prep) earned a first-set victory in the tiebreaker.
After dropping the first set, Hugh Clarke (Brisbane, Australia/Brisbane Boys' College) fought back from a 4-1 deficit in the second frame to tie the set at six. However, Devin McCarthy edged Clarke in the tiebreaker to tally the Buckeye's dual-clinching fourth point.
Earning the sole singles win of the day was junior Mousheg Hovhannisyan (North Hollywood, Calif./Continental Academy), who defeated Peter Kobelt, 6-4, 6-3 from the #3-spot in the lineup.
The challenges continue for the Waves, as they face #7-ranked Kentucky at 9 a.m. (PT) this Sunday, Feb. 5 in Lexington, Ky.
#3 Ohio State 4, #12 Pepperdine 1
Singles
1. #28 Chase Buchanan (OSU) vs. #21 Sebastian Fanselow (PEP) 6-7, 5-3, unfinished
2. #8 Blaz Rola (OSU) def. #35 Finn Tearney (PEP) 6-4, 6-1
3. #49 Mousheg Hovhannisyan (PEP) def. Peter Kobelt (OSU) 6-4, 6-3
4. #116 Ille Van Engelen (OSU) vs. Alex Llompart (PEP) 6-4, 6-6, unfinished
5. Devin McCarthy (OSU) def. #106 Hugh Clarke (PEP) 6-2, 7-6
6. #123 Connor Smith (OSU) def. David Sofaer (PEP) 6-4, 6-0
Order of finish: 6, 3, 2, 5
Doubles
1. Finn Tearney/Alex Llompart (PEP) def. #1 Chase Buchanan/Blaz Rola (OSU) 8-6
2. #15 Devin McCarthy/Ille Van Engelen (OSU) def. Jenson Turner/Sebastian Fanselow (PEP) 8-2
3. Connor Smith/Peter Kobelt (OSU) def. David Sofaer/Hugh Clarke (PEP) 8-4
Order of finish: 2, 3, 1
Players Mentioned
