April 14, 2009
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - After a disappointing two losses last weekend, the 65th-ranked Penn State men's tennis team will return to its home courts tomorrow to take on the Bucknell Bison and the Bloomsburg Huskies. First serve time for the Bucknell match is at five. The match vs. Bloomsburg will follow.
Last Time Out
Following a rough 7-0 loss to Illinois, the Nittany Lions faced a difficult 4-3 loss to the Indiana Hoosiers on Sunday. Penn State had a 3-2 lead, but was unable to hold on. Penn State came out and won the doubles point to gain an early 1-0 advantage. However, Indiana fought back to tie the score at three, and Lachlan Ferguson earned a victory to clinch the match for the Hoosiers.
Scouting Bucknell
The Bison enter Wednesday's match with a 7-9 record on the season. Leading the way for Bucknell is Ryan Sandburg. Sandburg holds a 12-13 record so far this year in the No. 1 singles bout. Anton Kovic has teamed with Sandburg in doubles competition this year, as the pair holds a 13-9 record this year.
Penn State-Bucknell
Penn State holds a 61-17-2 record all-time vs. the Bison. The 61 wins for Penn State are the most the Lions have had over a single opponent. Last season, the Nittany Lions had no problem with Bucknell, as they downed the Bison, 7-0. The last time Penn State lost to Bucknell was 1970.
Scouting Bloomsburg
The Division II Huskies come to Happy Valley with an impressive 9-2 record and is currently ranked 44th in the Division II rankings. Fernando Perez leads the Huskies with a 13-4 record this year and 7-3 record in the No. 1 bout for dual matches. Mark Schroeder is second on the team in wins, with a 10-4 record.
Penn State-Bloomsburg
Penn State is 25-4 all-time against Bloomsburg. Last year, the Lions defeated the Huskies, 7-0. Bloomsburg's last win vs. Penn State came in 1990, when the Lions were downed, 7-2.
Next Up
Penn State will close the regular season at home this weekend, hosting Wisconsin on Friday at 3 p.m. followed by Northwestern on Sunday at 11 a.m. The Big Ten Championships begin on April 23.