COLUMBUS – The Ohio State Buckeyes remained undefeated (3-0) on Wednesday afternoon by defeating the Butler Bulldogs by the final score of 7-0. The Bulldogs went on the road for the first time this season to compete at the OSU Varsity Tennis Center. The setback moved their overall record to 1-2.
Pulok Bhattacharya and Brandon Woods represented Butler at No. 1 doubles and the tandem of Sam O'Neill and Billy Weldon took the next court at No. 2 doubles. Each team was defeated 6-3 giving Ohio State the early advantage with the doubles point.
The Woldmoe brothers played great at No. 3 doubles giving Butler a chance to steal that point early in the day, but a 2-0 BU lead at No. 2 doubles would quickly vanish as OSU took control to take the lead.
Ohio State put three ranked players into their lineup for singles play, helping the Buckeyes secure the 7-0 sweep. Tommy Marx put up the biggest fight for Butler at No. 4 singles. The last Bulldog to leave the court, Marx was finally defeated by Steinbach 7-6 (7-3), 6-1.
Woods, Austin Woldmoe, and O'Neill were each defeated in straight-sets at the top of the order while Bhattacharya and Weldon rounded out the lineup, also falling in straight-sets.
The Bulldogs will be off until Saturday, Jan. 31 when they host the DePaul Blue Demons at the Butler Bubble. Action begins at 11 a.m.
Singles Competition
1. #21 Chris Diaz (OSU) def. Brandon Woods (BU) 6-2, 6-1
2. #89 Mikael Torpegaard (OSU) def. Austin Woldmoe (BU) 6-2, 6-3
3. Herkko Pollanen (OSU) def. Sam O'Neill (BU) 6-1, 6-2
4. #66 Ralf Steinbach (OSU) def. Tommy Marx (BU) 7-6 (7-3), 6-1
5. Kevin Metka (OSU) def. Pulok Bhattacharya (BU) 6-1, 6-3
6. Hunter Callahan (OSU) def. Billy Weldon (BU) 6-1, 6-0
Doubles Competition
1. #4 Kevin Metka/Ralf Steinbach (OSU) def. Brandon Woods/Pulok Bhattacharya (BU) 6-3
2. Herkko Pollanen/Mikael Torpegaard (OSU) def. Sam O'Neill/Billy Weldon (BU) 6-3
3. Austin Woldmoe/Alex Woldmoe (BU) vs. #27 Hunter Callahan/Chris Diaz (OSU) Unfinished (4-3)
Order of finish: Doubles (1,2); Singles (6,1,2,3,5,4)
