After shutting out No. 16 Auburn 4-0 and defeating No. 9 Stanford 4-1 in the first two rounds of the 2012 ITA National Team Indoor Championships, the No. 2 Virginia men's tennis team fell 4-1 Sunday at the Boar's Head Sports Club to No. 3 Ohio State in the semifinals of the tournament.
The Buckeyes (12-1) ended the Cavaliers' (7-1, 1-0 ACC) quest for an unparalleled fifth straight ITA National Team Indoor Championship, while also shattering Virginia's program-best 94-match home winning streak. Virginia had not lost an ITA Indoor Team Championship match since 2007.
Although the squad gave up only one team point, cruising past its first two opponents, a string of close losses undid the Cavaliers' chances against Ohio State.
Virginia lost the doubles point in spite of junior Jarmere Jenkins and senior Drew Courtney upsetting the national No. 1 team of sophomore Blaz Rola and senior Chase Buchanan 9-8(2) on the first court.
In the decisive match of the doubles point, Ohio State redshirt sophomore Peter Kobelt and junior Connor Smith narrowly won 9-8(5) against freshman Mitchell Frank and junior Julen Uriguen.
The Cavaliers then faltered in three of the first four singles matches, clinching the match for the Buckeyes. Perhaps the biggest shock of the day was No. 1 Frank losing his first collegiate match to Kobelt 7-5, 7-6(6).
Ohio State went on to lose their first match of the season in the finals of the tournament, dropping a close 4-3 match to No. 1 USC. The Trojans (11-0) are now 5-0 all-time in their championship appearances at the event.
-compiled by Zack Bartee
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