Baylor
Ohio State
WT Knocks Off No. 11 Ohio State
3/2/2018 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
THE RUNDOWN
WACO, Texas - Strong singles play led the comeback charge for 47th-ranked Baylor women's tennis, which notched its third upset victory in the last four dual matches, 4-1, over 11th-ranked Ohio State at Hurd Tennis Center Friday night.
It is the first win over a Top 15 program for the Bears since March 15, 2015, when they toppled eighth-ranked Virginia in the NCAA Round of 16.
The Buckeyes, which advanced to the NCAA Final Four last season, secured the doubles point with wins on court three, 6-2, and court two, 7-5, but it was all Baylor in singles action.
Sophomore Camilla Abbate evened the match, one all, with a strong, 6-3, 6-3, victory at No. 3 singles over 72nd-ranked Olivia Sneed. The win marked her first over a ranked opponent at Baylor and increased her win streak to four-straight matches.
Senior Theresa Van Zyl followed with another two-set win, 6-2, 6-3, on court one against Anna Sanford to give Baylor an edge, 2-1, and freshman Livia Kraus kept the momentum in Baylor's favor with a solid victory at No. 6 singles, 6-0, 6-2, over Danielle Wolf.
Sophomore Jessica Hinojosa keyed the upset for the Bears, notching a strong, 6-1, 6-2, win in the No. 5 slot. Like Abbate, Hinojosa has won four consecutive matches for Baylor.
TOP QUOTE
"Ohio State is a team we have a lot of respect for. We knew it was going to be highly competitive from start to finish. The match lived up to the billing, it was a tough match." - Head coach Joey Scrivano
"We've been making progress over the last month. I can see it every day, we're gaining confidence, consistence and efficiency. I wish that could have translated into more wins early on. But at the end of the day, I felt that things were going to come together and this team would start to see the fruits of its labor." - Head coach Joey Scrivano
OTHER NOTABLES
- Baylor (5-6) is on a two-match win streak, notching back-to-back wins at No. 32 Washington, 4-1, and against No. 11 Ohio State, 4-1.
- The Bears have won three of their last four dual matches, three against ranked foes (No. 17 Miami, No. 32 Washington, No. 11 Ohio State).
- Sophomores Jessica Hinojosa and Camilla Abbate are on four-match win streaks.
- Abbate notched her first win over a ranked opponent, besting 72nd-ranked Olivia Sneed, 6-3, 6-3.
- Baylor is now 3-3 all-time against the Buckeyes, toppling Ohio State for the first time since March 1, 2015.
- All six of Baylor's losses are to programs ranked in the Oracle/ITA Poll.
UP NEXT
Baylor travels to Houston, Texas, to face Rice on Tuesday, March 6. First serve is set for 5 p.m. (CT).
For an inside look at the Baylor women's tennis program, follow the team's official social media accounts (@BaylorWTennis Twitter and Instagram, /BaylorWTennis on Facebook).
Players Mentioned
