Feb. 27, 2011
Montgomery, Ala. - The Penn State men's tennis team (6-6) dropped its third and final match at the annual Blue Gray Tournament to No 36 Boise State (4-9) Sunday afternoon, 4-1. Freshman Russell Bader (Austin, Texas) won his first singles match of the tournament for the Nittany Lions, defeating Andrew Bettles (6-2, 6-4) in fourth singles for the Nittany Lions.
The Nittany Lions began Sunday's finale to the Blue Gray Tournament with a bang as senior Eddie Bourchier (Hobart, Australia) and Bader temporarily gained the momentum for Penn State, defeating Damian Hume and Scott Sears in first doubles, 8-5. The Nittany Lions received an unlucky break in second doubles when junior Jason Lee (Sydney, Australia) and freshman C.J. Griffin (Portland, Mich.) had to default due to injury after trailing 5-2, allowing Boise State to tie the match. The Broncos broke the tie in doubles play when Andrew Bettles and Filipp Pogostkin defeated sophomore Bryan Welnetz (Laredo, Texas) and junior Taylor Cohen (Philadelphia, Pa.), 8-6, in third doubles to clinch the point.
After falling behind 1-0, the Nittany Lions turned to singles in an attempt to salvage a win. However, junior Chris Hasyn (Lansdale, Pa.) fell in fifth singles (6-1, 6-1) to Nathan Sereke to give the Broncos a 2-0 lead. Penn State then earned its only victory of the match in fourth singles as Bader defeated Bettles (6-2, 6-4) to cut the lead to one.
With the Nittany Lions trailing 2-1 in the best-of-seven match, Damian Hume defeated Bourchier in first singles (1-6, 6-1, 6-3) to earn a third point and regain momentum for Boise State. Freddy Walsh then sealed the match for Boise State as he beat freshman Chris Young (Melbourne, Australia) in sixth singles (6-4, 1-6, 6-3) to clinch the fourth point and the match. After the match had been decided second and third singles were cut short. Pogostkin led Lee (6-4, 4-6, 4-1) and Welnetz led Sears (6-2, 6-7, 3-2) before the match came to a conclusion.
Penn State will return home to the Penn State Indoor Tennis Center to begin Big Ten conference play No. 4 Ohio State Friday, March 4 at 3:30 p.m.
#36 Boise State 4, Penn State 1
Doubles:
1. Eddie Bourchier/Russell Bader (PSU) def. Damian Hume/Scott Sears (BSU), 8-5
2. Jeff Mullen/Nathan Sereke (BSU) def. Jason Lee/C.J. Griffin (PSU), 5-2 - RET.
3. Andrew Bettles/Filipp Pogostkin (BSU) def. Bryan Welnetz/Taylor Cohen (PSU), 8-6
Order of finish: 1, 2, 3
Singles:
1. Damian Hume (BSU) def. Eddie Bourchier (PSU), 1-6, 6-1, 6-3
2. Filipp Pogostkin (BSU) led Jason Lee (PSU), 6-4, 4-6, 4-1 - DNF
3. Bryan Welnetz (PSU) led Scott Sears (BSU) 6-2, 6-7, 3-2 - DNF
4. Russell Bader (PSU) def. Andrew Bettles (BSU), 6-2, 6-4
5. Nathan Sereke (BSU) def. Chris Hasyn (PSU), 6-1, 6-1
6. Freddy Walsh (BSU) def. Chris Young (PSU), 6-4, 1-6, 6-3
Order of finish: 5, 4, 1, 6