Penguins Open NCAA Tournament Play at Ohio State

by YSU

Wednesday, May 11, 2016 1:17 pm

The Youngstown State women's tennis team makes their third straight NCAA Tournament appearance on Friday when the Penguins take on No. 4 seed Ohio State on Friday at 1 p.m. at the Varsity Tennis Courts.

The Penguins' match against the Buckeyes will begin following the opening match between Notre Dame and UCLA.

YSU is one of 30 teams who will be competing in an NCAA Regional for the third consecutive year.

The Penguins (12-12) will face a stiff challenge against the Buckeyes (28-2). Ohio State is 13-0 at home in dual matches and its last loss came on March 16. OSU has won its last 13 straight matches and dropped just two three total points in that span.

YSU has won 10 of its last 12 matches since March 25. In the Horizon League Championships the Guins defeated Oakland, UIC and Wright State to win their third straight conference postseason crown.

Making their third appearances at the NCAA Regionals for YSU are senior Annina Brendel and juniors Nehel Sahni and Dominika Lackova.

Lackova, the Horizon League's Player of the Year, will face Big Ten Player of the Year Francesca Di Lorenzo at No. 1. Lackova has played at No. 3 and No. 2 in her previous NCAA tournament matches. Di Lorenzo posted a 24-3 mark in dual play this spring and has won her last 12 contests.

At No. 2, Brendel (12-8) will be matched up with Anna Sanford (19-5). Brendel is 12-2 at No. 2 in the lineup for the Penguins and won the clinching point at the league tournament against Wright State. Sanford has won 10 straight contests.

At No. 3, Nsimba (10-10) will be making her NCAA debut against Gabriella De Santis (11-9). Nsimba has won seven of her last eight completed matches.

At No. 4, Sofia Macias (11-11) is making her second NCAA appearance. She will be matched up against OSU's Miho Kowase who is 21-2 on the season.

Sahni will be making her third NCAA appearance for the Penguins playing at No. 5. Sahni, who has won a career-high 20 dual matches and 24 overall contests this season, will face Ferny Pas who is 21-2. Sahni has won a team-high seven straight matches entering the contest with the Buckeyes.

At No. 6, Ana Stroe is making her NCAA debut. Stroe will face Sandy Niehaus who has won all 11 of her matches this spring.

All-session tickets, which include all six matches (three women's and three NCAA men's) are $21 for adults and $12 for youth/students. Single-day tickets are $8 for adults and $5 for youth/students on May 13 and May 15 and $12 for adults and $8 for youth/students May 14 when three matches are on the slate. Children two-and-under are free. Parking is available for free in designated lots. A parking map is available at http://go.osu.edu/ncaatenparking.

YSU Probable Lineup

1. Dominika Lackova (8-13/11-20)
2. Annina Brendel (12-8/16-13)
3. Noelly Nsimba (10-10/16-13)
4. Sofia Macias (11-11/16-16)
5. Nehel Sahni (20-2/24-6)
6. Ana Stroe (11-7/12-8)

1. Brendel/Nsimba (4-6/8-10)
2. Lackova/Macias (7-6/10-10)
3. Julianna Heino/Stroe (4-5/4-5)

OSU Probable Lineup

1. Francesca Di Lorenzo (24-3/33-4)
2. Anna Sanford (19-5/22-7)
3. Gabriella De Santis (11-9/13-13)
4. Miho Kowase (21-2/27-4)
5. Ferny Angeles Pas (21-2/29-6)
6. Sandy Niehaus (11-0/16-3)

1. Sanford/Kowase (17-6/25-8)
2. De Santis/Niehaus (11-0/11-0)
3. Olivia Sneed/Di Lorenzo (23-2/23-2)