After mixed results during the ITA Kickoff Weekend, Texas A&M men’s tennis team continued its out-of-conference slate on Friday, Feb. 3, in Columbus, Ohio. There, they took on the 2nd-ranked team in the country, the Ohio State Buckeyes.
The ranked-on-ranked match delivered from the start, with the doubles point coming down to the wire. Redshirt senior Buckeyes Andrew Lutschaunig and James Trotter held onto an early break on court 1, securing a 6-4 victory over seniors Trey Hilderbrand and Noah Schachter. Courts 2 and 3 both looked set for tiebreakers, but Ohio State secured the doubles point when Aggie sophomores Giulio Perego and JC Roddick fell 7-5 on court 2, despite fighting off multiple match points. This left court 3 unfinished, with A&M leading 6-5.
The momentum continued for the Buckeyes in singles play, as they got off to strong starts on multiple courts. Trotter secured the next point for Ohio State, defeating Hilderbrand 6-1, 6-2 on court 4. The players in scarlet and gray didn’t look back, putting forth impressive performances on each court to earn convincing wins.
Schachter fought well in singles play, providing a bright spot for the maroon and white. The Florida native got off to a strong start, racing to a 3-0 lead and clinching the first set 6-2. In the second set, Schachter struggled after being broken early, but held serve the rest of the way through, ultimately losing 6-4. Despite his best efforts, Schachter lost the third set tiebreaker, giving the Buckeyes their sixth win. Junior JJ Tracy then secured the sweep on court 3, beating Perego 7-6, 6-3.
This loss to Ohio State puts the Aggies at a 1-3 record overall, with two losses on the bounce to ranked opponents. This is in stark contrast to last year’s start, where coach Steve Denton’s team rushed to a 4-0 undefeated start.
Next up for the Aggies is a long-awaited trip back home, where they’ll look to rebound against future SEC rival Oklahoma on Saturday, Feb. 18. After that, a showdown versus Texas in Austin awaits.