Just nine days after suffering its first loss of the season in Columbus, Ohio, No. 1 Virginia faced a familiar challenge Monday afternoon. And once again, No. 2 Ohio State worked past the Cavaliers (8-2, 0-0 ACC).
Falling 4-2 to the top-seeded Buckeyes (10-0, 0-0 Big Ten) in the semifinals of the 2026 ITA National Team Indoor Championship in Dallas, the loss marked Virginia’s second defeat to Ohio State in just over a week. In a matchup between the nation’s top two teams, doubles momentum and aggressive net play once again tilted the balance toward the Buckeyes.
Coming off of a strong win over No. 16 Clemson and a comeback win against No. 6 Mississippi State, Virginia entered the semifinal looking to flip the script after Ohio State claimed the doubles point in a 5-2 win Feb. 7.
On Court 1, the No. 45 pair of junior Dylan Dietrich and sophomore Stiles Brockett delivered a statement performance, defeating No. 7 senior Alexander Bernard and junior Alex Okonkwo 6-2. The Cavaliers broke their opponents’ serve early and never let the Buckeyes regain momentum, holding firm from the baseline and hitting clean volleys at the net.
The remaining two courts, however, unraveled quickly.
On Court 3, freshman Andres Santamarta Roig and sophomore Keegan Rice fell behind 0-3 as Ohio State applied relentless pressure on returns and at the net. The No. 8 team of junior Aidan Kim and junior Bryce Nakashima surged ahead 5-1 in under 20 minutes. The match came to an end when the Cavaliers could not return Aidan Kim’s serve — ending the set at 6-3.
Court 2 followed a similar trajectory. After falling behind 0-2, the No. 23 ranked pair of junior Mans Dahlberg and sophomore Jangjun Kim struggled to neutralize Ohio State’s No. 1 ranked pair of sophomore Brandon Carpico and sophomore Nikita Filin, who dictated points with heavy first serves and aggressive poaching for the 6-1 win and a 1-0 lead for the Buckeyes entering singles play.
Commentators noted Ohio State’s fearless approach of stronger net play, more first serves in play and an attacking mindset that Virginia struggled to counter. The Buckeyes’ ability to take advantage of early breaks once again proved pivotal in gaining an early lead.
Virginia, which had won five straight doubles points entering its first matchup with Ohio State, found itself chasing from behind yet again.
Just before the semifinal showdown, Rice had emphasized the team’s identity and mindset — which would be tested against other top teams in Dallas.
“The team has been fighting hard,” Rice said. “We’ve had a strong start to this season, I think. Our main goal is staying united as a team and finding ways through these matches and being the toughest team to beat.”
The unity was tested quickly in singles.
Ohio State extended its lead in singles, as No. 24 senior Jack Anthrop defeated Santamarta Roig 6-2, 6-3 at Line 3. The result was a reversal from their previous meeting, when Santamarta Roig earned a 6-4, 6-4 victory at the same position. This time, however, Anthrop controlled rallies with physical baseline play and heavier pace, limiting the Spanish freshman’s ability to redirect balls down the line and giving the Buckeyes a 2-0 lead.
Virginia responded at Line 4, where No. 81 Jangjun Kim edged Nakashima 7-6(3), 6-4 with a normal, composed performance. Like Anthrop, Jangjun Kim flipped the script with a win in the rematch, capturing a tight first-set tiebreak and keeping calm when constructing points to put the Cavaliers on the board.
Ohio State pushed its advantage to 3-1 at Line 6, where No. 98 Filin defeated Dahlberg 7-5, 7-5 in a tightly contested battle. Dahlberg fought to stay within reach in both sets, but Filin delivered in the biggest moments, serving strong first serves under pressure and capitalizing on put away shots to close off points. The result placed Virginia in a must-win position across the remaining three courts.
Brockett delivered the match’s emotional swing at Line 5. After dropping the first set to graduate student Loren Byers, Brockett flipped momentum, grinding through a 7-5 second set before closing 6-3 in the third set. The sophomore’s resilience cut the deficit to 3-2 and kept Virginia’s hopes alive.
“All of these teams are really fit,” Coach Andres Pedroso said earlier in the tournament. “Everyone is an inch away. You’ve got to pay close attention and be really prepared.”
All eyes turned to the top two courts.
At Line 1, No. 2 Dietrich once again faced No. 13 Aidan Kim in a highly anticipated rematch — having defeated him in three sets in Columbus just nine days earlier and split their two matchups last season. Dietrich took the opening set 6-4, weathering long rallies and stepping inside the beeline at critical moments, just as he had in his previous win. But this time, Aidan Kim surged back, claiming the second set in a tiebreak before closing 6-4 in the third to clinch the match for Ohio State, evening their career head-to-head at two apiece, handing Dietrich his first loss of the season and sealing the Buckeyes’ semifinal victory.
Meanwhile, No. 15 Rice battled No. 22 junior Preston Stearns on Court 2, rebounding from a first-set loss to force a deciding third. The match stood at 2-2 in the final set when play was left unfinished following Aidan Kim’s clinch.
The semifinal marked another chapter in the rivalry between two of collegiate tennis’ best programs. In 2008, Virginia defeated Ohio State to win the ITA National Team Indoor Championship, a run that featured current assistant coach Treat Huey in the Cavaliers’ lineup. Nearly two decades later, the rivalry remains, with both teams boasting deep lineups and separated by only a handful of pivotal points.
Despite the loss, the Cavaliers will leave Dallas knowing the margin between themselves and the undefeated Buckeyes remains slim, with another chapter in the rivalry possibly in the cards should the two teams meet each other in spring.
First, Virginia will have a short break before opening conference play with a pair of home games. The Cavaliers will face a currently 2-2 Boston College squad Feb. 27, before a Sunday dual against 5-5 SMU March 1.
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