Jan. 23, 2009
UNVIERSITY PARK, Pa. - Following a difficult 5-2 loss at N.C. State last Sunday, the Penn State Men's tennis team will kickoff the 2009 home season this Saturday hosting St. Bonaventure and St. Joseph's this Saturday.
The Nittany Lions will take on St. Bonaventure in the first match at 10 a.m. followed by St. Joseph's at 3 p.m. All action will take place at the Penn State Indoor Tennis Center.
The 38th ranked Nittany Lions will look to improve following the loss on Sunday to the Wolfpack. Junior Ryan Gormley (Las Vegas, Nev.) picked up a point for the Nittany Lions in the No. 3 singles spot, defeating Derek Stephens, 6-1, 6-4. In the No. 5 bout, junior Guillaume St-Maurice (Saint-Eustache, Quebec) defeated Julian Sullivan, 6-0, 6-2. St-Maurice and senior Brendan Lynch (North Potomac, Md.) picked up the lone doubles victory for the Lions.
Senior Adam Slagter (Austin, Texas) made his return to the court on Sunday after sitting out the entire fall season with an injury. In his matchup, the captain was downed in the No. 1 bout by 58th ranked Jay Weinacker of N.C. State, 6-2, 6-4. Slagter returns this season after going 14-11 in singles action last season. Additionally, he finished ranked No. 5 in the ITA Northeast Regionals Singles Rankings last year.
Penn State is 14-0 all-time in match-ups with St. Bonaventure. Last season, Penn State hosted the Bonnies at the Penn State Tennis Center where the Lions squeaked out a 4-3 victory. After winning the doubles point, the Lions struggled through singles but eventually then-freshman Jamie Cox (Acworth, Ga.) clinched the match with his victory over the Bonnies' Chris Post, 6-3, 6-7 (4), 6-3.
In their last meeting with St. Joe's, the Nittany Lions had no problem with Hawks in a 7-0 victory last January. Penn State cruised in all three doubles matches to capture the doubles point. The Lions also swept all six singles matches in straight-sets.
Penn State returns eight letter winners from last year's squad, including two players that earned at least 20 wins in singles competition last season.
Following this weekend's matchup with the Bonnies and the Hawks, the Nittany Lions will host the ITA Kickoff Weekend on Jan. 31 and Feb. 1. Penn State will play host to Oklahoma State, Duke and Florida State.