Feb. 25, 2011
Montgomery, Ala. - The Penn State men's tennis team (6-4) dropped the opener of the annual Blue Gray Tournament to the 26th-ranked Notre Dame Fighting Irish Friday evening, 4-0. The Nittany Lions will continue play at the Blue Gray Tournament Saturday at 4:30 p.m. (CDT) against No. 32 Alabama. The Crimson Tide dropped their first match of the tournament to No. 21 Pepperdine, 4-0.
The Nittany Lions trip to Montgomery, Ala., began slowly, dropping the doubles point and falling behind, 1-0. Senior Eddie Bourchier (Hobart, Australia) and freshman Russell Bader (Austin, Texas) started the doubles portion of the match on the right foot, upsetting ITA ranked #28 Stephen Havens and Tyler Davis, 8-4. The Irish righted the ship in third doubles as Casey Watt and Greg Andrews defeated sophomore Byran Welnetz (Laredo, Texas) and junior Taylor Cohen (Philadelphia, Pa.), 8-4. Junior Jason Lee (Sydney, Austrlia) and freshman C.J. Griffin (Portland, Mich.) fell in third doubles by an 8-4 margin to clinch the point for Notre Dame.
Trailing 1-0, the Nittany Lions turned to singles action looking to rebound. Junior Chris Hasyn (Lansdale, Pa.) dropped the fifth singles match to Samuel Keeton (6-1, 6-1) to give the Irish a quick 2-0 lead. Bourchier then fell in the first singles bout to ITA No. 77 Casey Watt (6-2, 6-2).
With the Nittany Lions trailing 3-0 in the best-of-seven match, hopes turned to freshman Chris Young (Melbourne, Australia). Young could not hold off Fitzgerald in sixth singles (6-3, 6-2), clinching the fourth and deciding point for Notre Dame.
Play was stopped after the Irish clinched the match with Lee leading Stephen Havens (6-2, 4-1) in second singles, Welnetz trailing Stahl (7-6, 2-1) in third singles and Bader behind Andrews (7-6, 3-2).
#26 Notre Dame 4, Penn State 0
Doubles:
1. Eddie Bourchier/Russell Bader (PSU) def. #28 Stephen Havens/Tyler Davis (Notre Dame), 8-4
2. #51 Spencer Talmadge/Niall Fitzgerald (Notre Dame) def. Jason Lee/C.J. Griffin (PSU), 8-4
3. Casey Watt/Greg Andrews (Notre Dame) def. Bryan Welnetz/Taylor Cohen (PSU), 8-4
Order of finish: 1, 3, 2
Singles:
1. #77 Casey Watt (Notre Dame) def. Eddie Bourchier (PSU), 6-2, 6-2
2. Jason Lee (PSU) led Stephen Havens (Notre Dame), 6-2, 4-1 - DNF
3. Daniel Stahl (Notre Dame) led Bryan Welnetz (PSU), 7-6, 2-1 - DNF
4. Greg Andrews (Notre Dame) led Russell Bader (PSU), 7-6, 3-2 - DNF
5. Samuel Keeton (Notre Dame) def. Chris Hasyn (PSU), 6-1, 6-1
6. Blas Moros (Notre Dame) def. Chris Young (PSU), 6-2, 6-2
Order of finish: 5, 1, 6