After besting Penn State 5-2, the Wisconsin women's tennis team startled Ohio State as they threatened to take down the Big Ten opponent before falling 4-3 to the Buckeyes in a third set tiebreak.
The Badgers' sophomore Jessica Seyferth split sets with her Buckeye opponent, sophomore Cami Hubbs. With the meet leveled at 3-all and the cool rain coming down, the pair raged through their decisive third set into a tiebreak. After leading most of the game, Seyferth misfired to give Hubbs her first lead 5-4, and the Buckeye took advantage of two more points to win the tiebreak and the final match 6-2, 4-6, 7-6 (4).
""It's intense you know, and you live for those moments where you have the tight tiebreaker to clinch that match,"" UW senior Liz Carpenter said, watching her teammate. ""[Seyferth] clinched it for us last weekend and I know she really was wanting to do it again and it's just heartbreaking to see that not happen.""
No. 39 Ohio State (7-3 Big Ten, 14-9 overall) swept the doubles matches for the early lead, but the No. 74 Badgers (3-7, 8-14) fresh off three straight conference wins did not surrender them easily and made a run for the lead in singles.
UW freshman Angela Chupa won 6-4, 6-4 at No. 5 and junior Katya Mirnova dismissed sophomore Paloma Escobedo with her nearly unerring ground strokes, 6-2, 6-2. Carpenter celebrated her last season match as a Badger by adding her own win over feisty junior Kirsten Flower 6-4, 6-2 to give the Badgers the lead, threatening an upset, but the Buckeyes rallied indoors and added the win 4-3.
""We almost upset a really good team. I think everybody realizes how close we are to doing some great things and today we almost did it,"" said UW head coach Brian Fleishman. ""I think they are going to use this not as a let down, but more of a ‘Hey, I think we're ready.'""
Despite the bitter-sweet loss to Ohio State, the Badgers collected a clean victory over the Nittany Lions (2-8, 5-17) Saturday afternoon.
""We expected them to fight and compete from the very beginning,"" Fleishman said. ""We were preparing our girls that they were going to come out fighting and scratching for every point.""
The women came out swinging and swept the doubles matches to earn the early lead, and carried on that momentum as they rolled through wins at No. 1, 2 and 6 to clinch the meet.
""Going into each match you build on that confidence, plus it helps the team spirit,"" Seyferth said. ""If you look over and see your teammates winning, that helps you.""
Seyferth collected the Badgers' last victory of the afternoon at No. 4, and the Badgers' efforts put down the Lions by a final score of 5-2.
""They're consistent, and they did give us some free points,"" Mirnova said. ""I think a lot of us came out and hit the ball hard and stayed consistent and focused and it happened.""
With the split this weekend, the Badgers concluded their spring season but have only days to rest before they host the Big Ten Tournament Thursday through Sunday.
