By Danielle Daniels
May 10, 2025
Ohio State ended the season at 28-4
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Ohio State’s season ended on Saturday afternoon in the round of 16 of the NCAA Tournament as No. 12 Mississippi State came away with a 4-2 victory.
The Big Ten champion Buckeyes finished the year at 28-4 overall after having reached the round of 16 in the NCAA Tournament for the 21st time in program history.
Mississippi State won a tightly contested doubles point, clinching it in a tiebreaker. Then Ohio State went ahead 2-1 with a pair of quick singles wins by Aidan Kim and Bryce Nakashima. But Mississippi State was able to win a couple of key points to take three of the four remaining matches.
Doubles
- Freshmen Nikita Filin and Brandon Carpico played great all year. They dominated again on Saturday, winning 6-2 on court two over Niccolo Baroni and Mario Martinez Serrano. That was their 24th victory this season.
- The top-ranked team of Petar Jovanovic and Benito Sanchez Martinez topped Will Jansen and Aidan Kim 6-4 on court one, leaving the point to be decided by a tiebreaker on court three.
- The match was on serve into a tiebreaker and the Bulldog duo of Dusan Milanovic and Michal Novansky took the early advantage. Bryce Nakashima and Alex Fuchs evened the breaker at 5-5 and fought off one match point but wasn’t able to save the second, falling 8-6.
Singles
- Aidan Kim got the Buckeyes on the board as he won the showcase match on court one. He was brilliant in the opening set, beating No. 28 Benito Sanchez Martinez 6-1 and then went up an early break in the second. He held that advantage for a 6-4 win.
- The Buckeyes then went up 2-1 as Bryce Nakashima improved to 17-0 this spring with a 6-3, 6-4 win over Bryan Hernandez Cortes on court five.
- Mississippi State then evened the match with a 6-4, 6-3 win from Petar Jovanovic over Alexander Bernard on court two.
- The Bulldogs took a 3-2 lead with a 6-4, 6-4 win on court six from Mario Martinez Serrano.
- The final point came from Dusan Milanovic on court four as he beat Will Jansen 7-4 in a second set tiebreaker to win the match 7-5, 7-6.
#12 Mississippi State 4, #6 Ohio State 2
Singles
1. #11 Aidan Kim (OSU) def. #28 B. Sanchez Martinez (MSUB) 6-1, 6-4
2. #67 Petar Jovanovic (MSUB) def. #61 Alexander Bernard (OSU) 6-4, 6-3
3. #120 Jack Anthrop (OSU) vs. #111 Niccolo Baroni (MSUB) 7-5, 2-6, 1-2, unfinished
4. Dusan Milanovic (MSUB) def. Will Jansen (OSU) 7-5, 7-6 (7-4)
5. #97 Bryce Nakashima (OSU) def. B. Hernandez Cortes (MSUB) 6-3, 6-4
6. M. Martinez Serrano (MSUB) def. Preston Stearns (OSU) 6-4, 6-4
Doubles
1. #1 Petar Jovanovic/B. Sanchez Martinez (MSUB) def. Will Jansen/Aidan Kim (OSU) 6-4
2. Brandon Carpico/Nikita Filin (OSU) def. #60 Niccolo Baroni/M. Martinez Serrano (MSUB) 6-2
3. Dusan Milanovic/Michal Novansky (MSUB) def. Bryce Nakashima/Alex Fuchs (OSU) 7-6 (8-6)
Match Notes:
Mississippi State 25-5; National ranking #12
Ohio State 28-4; National ranking #6
Order of finish: Doubles (2,1,3); Singles (1,5,2,6,4)
NCAA Men’s Tennis Tournament — Round of 16
Official: Andrew Rodgers T-2:53 A-489
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