Jan. 29, 2011
UNIVERSITY PARK, PA. - No. 71 Penn State (2-1) fell 4-3 Saturday afternoon at Princeton (1-0) in heartbreaking fashion.
The Tigers swept the Nittany Lions in doubles action to take an early 1-0 lead. Senior Eddie Bourchier (Hobart, Australia) and junior Jason Lee (Sydney, Australia) fell to Matija Pecotic and Matt Siow in the No. 1 match, 8-5. In the No. 2 bout, freshman Russell Bader (Austin, Texas) and junior Chris Hasyn (Lansdale, Pa) could not outlast Augie Bloom and Michael Lin, falling, 8-6, and clinching the point for Princeton. Finally, in the No. 3 match, junior Taylor Cohen (Philadelphia, Pa.) and sophomore Bryan Welnetz (Laredo, Texas) fell to Alex Faust and Yohei Shoji, 8-7.
In singles action Penn State rebounded, bringing the match to a final match to decide the outcome. Freshman Chris Young (Melbourne, Australia) fell in his first career match to Princeton's Augie Bloom in fourth singles, 6-2, 6-4, to give the Tigers a 2-0 advantage. The Nittany Lions pulled the match to 2-1 when Welnetz downed Siow in the No. 3 bout (6-4, 7-5).
Bourchier pulled the Nittany Lions even at 2-2 with a thrilling 7-5, 7-5 victory over Pecotic in the No. 1 position. Princeton responded quickly though, taking the lead 3-2 as Cohen could not outlast Dan Richardson in a three-set thriller in the No. 5 match, 4-6, 6-2, 3-6.
Bader would not let the Nittany Lions go quietly though, winning a frantic No. 6 bout to tie the match 3-3. Bader finished off Ravi Yegya-Raman, 6-4, 4-6, 7-5, to keep Penn State's hopes alive.
Lee could not bring home the victory though, falling to Matt Spindler in the No. 2 match 3-6, 7-6 (5), 2-6 to give the Tigers the fourth point and a match victory.
Penn State will return home tomorrow to face Army at the Penn State Indoor Tennis Center at 1 p.m. Admission is free.
Princeton 4, #71 Penn State 3
Doubles:
1. Matija Pecotic/Matt Siow (Princeton) def. Eddie Bourchier/Jason Lee (Penn State), 8-5
2. Augie Bloom/Michael Lin (Princeton) def. Russell Bader/Chris Hasyn (Penn State), 8-6
3. Alex Faust/Yohei Shoji (Princeton) def. Taylor Cohen/Bryan Welnetz (Penn State), 8-7
Order of finish: 1, 2, 3
Singles:
1. Eddie Bourchier (Penn State) def. Matija Pecotic (Princeton), 7-5, 7-5
2. Matt Spindler (Princeton) def. Jason Lee (Penn State), 6-3, 6-7 (5), 6-2
3. Bryan Welnetz (Penn State) def. Matt Siow (Princeton), 6-4, 7-5
4. Augie Bloom (Princeton) def. Chris Young (Penn State), 6-2, 6-4
5. Dan Richardson (Princeton) def. Taylor Cohen (Penn State), 6-4, 2-6, 6-3
6. Russell Bader (Penn State) def. Ravi Yegya-Raman (Princeton), 6-4, 4-6, 7-5
Order of finish: 4, 3, 1, 5, 6, 2