March 14, 2015
COLUMBUS, OHIO - The Penn State women's tennis team fell to No. 19 Ohio State 5-2 Saturday. Victoria Kisialeva (Toronto, Canada) dropped the first set 6-3 to Gabriella De Santis before coming back to win the next two 6-3 and 6-4 to win the match.
Jacqueline Zuhse (Boca Raton, Fla.) won her first singles match of the spring by defeating Olivia Sneed 6-3, 7-5. Katia Blik (Moscow, Russia) was defeated by Anna Sanford 7-6, 6-2. Dasha Sapogova (Minsk, Belarus) fell in straight sets to Miho Kowase 6-3, 7-6. Both Devan McCluskey (Phoenix, Ariz.) and Kim Surin (Montreal, Canada) took their opponents to three sets before falling to the Buckeyes.
Ohio State jumped out to a 1-0 lead after capturing the doubles point. No. 24 Gabriella De Santis and Sandy Niehaus defeated No. 65 Kisialeva and Sapogova 8-5. McCluskey and Surin fell 8-5 to Mijo Kowase and Ferny Angeles Paz. Katherine Whiteaway (Sawbridgeworth, England) and Zuhse's match with Anna Sanford and Olivia Sneed was stopped with the Buckeyes up 6-4 after the doubles point was cliched.
"Our team lost a close match to a tough Ohio State squad," said head coach Chris Cagle. "The competitiveness of this match shows what our team is capable of. We will build on this match and get ready for Maryland next weekend."
The blue and white take on Big Ten newcomers No. 43 Maryland and Rutgers on March 21st and 22nd. Follow Penn State women's tennis on Facebook at Penn State Women's Tennis and on Twitter @pennstateWTEN.