March 4, 2011
University Park, Pa. - The Penn State men's tennis team (6-7, 0-1) fell in its first Big Ten Conference match to rival No. 3 Ohio State (15-1, 1-0), 7-0.
The Nittany Lions began the match with intensity, jumping out to early leads in the doubles matches, before falling in all three matches. Sophomore Bryan Welnetz (Laredo, Texas) and junior Chris Hasyn (Lansdale, Pa.) scored the first point of third doubles before eventually falling to Blaz Rola and Balazs Novak, 8-3. Senior Eddie Bourchier (Hobart, Australia) and freshman Russell Bader (Austin, Texas) battled hard against the #12 nationally ranked doubles team of Matt Allare and Peter Kobelt before falling, 8-5, in first doubles to clinch the doubles point for Ohio State. Finally, junior Jason Lee (Sydney, Australia) and sophomore Guanhua Chen (DaLian, China) fell in third doubles, 8-2, to seal the doubles sweep for Ohio State.
With the Nittany Lions trailing 1-0, the match turned to singles play. Bader fell quickly to Novak, 6-0, 6-2, in fourth singles to give the Buckeyes a 2-0 lead. Attention then turned to Bourchier as he faced the ITA No. 14 ranked singles player Chase Buchanan in first singles. Buchanan took the first set, 6-2. Bourchier remained close through the second set but eventually fell, 6-4, giving the Buckeyes the third point of the match.
Trailing 3-0, Welnetz fell to the ITA No. 112 ranked singles player Ille Van Engelen, 6-2, 6-3, to clinch the fourth and deciding point for Ohio State.
After the match was decided Lee fell to the ITA No. 4 ranked singles player, Blaz Rola in second singles (6-3, 6-2). Chen then fell 6-1, 6-1 in sixth singles and freshman Chris Young (Melbourne, Australia) dropped a 6-2, 6-0 decision in fifth singles to give the Buckeyes a 7-0 win.
Penn State will travel to Tampa Bay, Fla. to face the South Florida Bulls, Friday, March 11 at 2 p.m. After their trip to Florida, the Nittany Lions will return home to the Penn State Indoor Tennis Center for a doubleheader Sunday, March 13 against Navy at noon and Villanova at 5 p.m.
#3 Ohio State 7, Penn State 0
Doubles:
1. #12 Matt Allare/Peter Kobelt (OSU) def. #63 Eddie Bourchier/Russell Bader (PSU), 8-5
2. Chase Buchanan/Devin McCarthy (OSU) def. Jason Lee/Guanhua Chen (PSU), 8-2
3. Blaz Rola/Balazs Novak (OSU) def. Bryan Welnetz/Taylor Cohen (PSU), 8-3
Order of finish: 3, 1, 2
Singles:
1. #14 Chase Buchanan (OSU) def. Eddie Bourchier (PSU), 6-2, 6-4
2. #4 Blaz Rola (OSU) def. Jason Lee (PSU), 6-3, 6-2
3. #112 Ille Van Engelen (OSU) def. Bryan Welnetz (PSU), 6-2, 6-3
4. #76 Balazs Novak (OSU) def. Russell Bader (PSU), 6-0, 6-2
5. #46 Devin McCarthy (OSU) def. Chris Young (PSU), 6-2, 6-0
6. #95 Nelson Vick (OSU) def. Guanhua Chen (PSU), 6-1, 6-1
Order of finish: 4, 1, 3, 2, 6, 5