A comeback was brewing, but the uphill climb was too steep.
On Wednesday in Ann Arbor, the No. 17 Michigan women’s tennis team (10-6) quickly fell behind against No. 3 Ohio State (18-3) in the nonconference half of a home-and-home series. The Wolverines fought back in some crucial moments, but not enough to make up for the initial setbacks, and the Buckeyes held on to their lead for a 4-1 win.
In doubles, Ohio State made it clear that Michigan was going to have to fight for any points on the board. The Buckeyes’ top duo — thirteenth-ranked team Hephzibah Oluwadare and Teah Chavez — wasn’t even the Wolverines’ biggest problem. Senior Lily Jones and sophomore Jessica Bernales hung with Ohio State’s No. 1 team and broke Chavez’s serve in the eleventh hour for the win. But Michigan’s other doubles teams couldn’t back them up, and the Buckeyes won the doubles point, handing the Wolverines their first setback of the day…