The University of Mississippi Athletics
Rebels Host Buckeyes In Mid-Week Showdown
4/13/2010 | Men's Tennis
OXFORD, Miss. - The SEC West Champion Ole Miss men's tennis team welcomes the nation's No. 2 ranked team, Ohio State, to the Palmer/Salloum Tennis Center Wednesday. The match begins at 1:30 p.m., and admission is free.
"We're excited to win the SEC West again. With Devin Britton turning pro and Kalle Norberg sidelined for the season with an injury, it was difficult to win it this year. But the team accepted the challenge, and we are extremely proud of them," head coach Billy Chadwick said.
On his team's chances against the Buckeyes, "It's easier playing a match like this when you go in as the underdog as opposed to going into a match where you know you're supposed to win and there's a lot on the line. We've done a very good job of winning a lot of close matches (this year) and we're in hopes that maybe we can win another close match against a big fish like Ohio State."
The Rebels (15-5, 6-4) achieved one of their goals last weekend, taking down Auburn and Alabama to secure the team's ninth consecutive SEC West Championship. Sophomore Chris Thiemann came up huge holding off Alabama's Michael Thompson in a third set tiebreaker at No.3 singles to clinch the 4-3 win and the championship. Afterwards he talked about the big match with Ohio State and another of the team's goals.
"We are really looking forward to playing the No. 2 team and getting a win so we can be top 10 again," he said. "If we beat them, we can get back in the top 10 and host (a regional). That's a big goal of ours."
Ohio State comes into the match at 24-1. They are 6-0 in the Big 10. The Buckeyes lone loss came in the semifinals of the ITA National Team Indoor to Virginia. Sophomore Chase Buchanan leads Ohio State with a No. 12 national ranking and a 16-1 record at No. 1 singles.
"It's a big day for us," Chadwick said. "They're No. 2 in the nation, and we want to move up. We want to encourage all the fans to come out and enjoy the great weather and help the Rebels take down the Buckeyes."
Following this match, Ole Miss will host Mississippi State Saturday at 3 p.m., as part of the Cellular South Grove Bowl weekend festivities.
