April 26, 2009
The top-ranked Ohio State men's tennis team will vie for its fourth straight Big Ten Tournament title as it looks to compete against second-seeded Illinois in the final match on Sunday afternoon on the campus of the University of Michigan.
The Buckeyes enter the final round after downing host Michigan, 4-1, in the first semifinal matchup on Saturday. With the win, the Scarlet and Gray improve to 30-1 on the season. The Fighting Illini advanced with a 5-0 victory over No. 6 Indiana, improving their overall mark to 21-7.
The two teams last met on April 12 when the Buckeyes topped Illinois, 6-1, to take sole possession of first place in the Big Ten regular season standings. Ohio State is 31-54-1 against Illinois all-time. However, under 2009 Big Ten Coach of the Year Ty Tucker, the Buckeyes have won four-consecutive matches against the Illini, winning eight of the last nine meetings.
In last year's championship final, OSU rallied to overcome a late 3-2 Illinois lead to capture its third consecutive Big Ten crown in a narrow 4-3 win over the Illini.
The final match is slated for a Noon (ET) start time, at U-M's Varsity Tennis Center.
Tournament Central
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