April 15, 2011
MINNEAPOLIS, MN. - The Penn State men's tennis team (10-15, 0-7) dropped its seventh consecutive Big Ten match Friday afternoon against the Minnesota Golden Gophers, 6-1. Freshman Russell Bader (Austin, Texas) earned the lone point of the evening for the Nittany Lions with a (3-6, 6-3, 6-4) third singles victory.
The Nittany Lions started slowly in doubles play, falling in all three matches. In third doubles, sophomore Bryan Welnetz (Laredo, Texas) and junior Christopher Hasyn (Lansdale, Pa.) fell to Juan Pablo Ramirez and Tobias Wernet, 8-5. Then the No. 67 ITA doubles ranked tandem of senior Eddie Bourchier (Hobart, Australia) and Bader fell in first doubles to Phillip Arndt and Brendan Ruddock in a close match, 9-8 (5) to clinch the point. Once the Gophers clinched the first point, junior Jason Lee (Sydney, Australia) and freshman Chris Young (Melbourne, Australia) fell, 9-8 (7) to complete the sweep.
With the Nittany Lions already behind 1-0, the match turned to Hasyn in fifth singles. The junior fell to Julian Dehn (6-3, 6-3). Welnetz then fell to Arndt in the No. four singles bout (6-2, 6-4) to put the Nittany Lions behind 3-0.
Attention then turned to Lee in second singles. Lee could not overcome Rok Bonin, falling (6-4, 6-2) to clinch the match for Minnesota.
After the fourth point had been clinched, the match turned to Young in sixth singles. Young could not outduel Michael Sicora (6-1, 6-2), giving the Gophers a 5-0 lead. Bourchier then fell to No. 101 ranked ITA singles player, Wernet, in first singles (6-3, 6-3).
In the final match of the evening, Bader took down Ruddock (3-6, 6-3, 6-4) in third singles for the Nittany Lions first point of the afternoon.
The Nittany Lions will continue their road swing at No. 63 Wisconsin when then take on the Badgers Sunday, April 17 at noon.
#24 Minnesota 6, Penn State 1:
Doubles:
1. Phillip Arndt/Brendan Ruddock (MINN) def. No. 67 Russell Bader/Eddie Bourchier (PSU) 9-8 (5)
3. Rok Bonin/Julian Dehn (MINN) def. Jason Lee/Chris Young (PSU) 9-8 (7)
3. Juan Pablo Ramirez/Tobias Wernet (MINN) def. Bryan Welnetz/Christopher Hasyn (PSU) 8-5
Order of finish: 3, 1, 2
Singles:
1. No. 101 Tobias Wernet (MINN) def. Eddie Bourchier (PSU) 6-3, 6-3
2. Rok Bonin (MINN) def. Jason Lee (PSU) 6-4, 6-2
3. Russell Bader (PSU) def. Brendan Ruddock (MINN) 3-6, 6-3, 6-4
4. Phillip Arndt (MINN) def. Bryan Welnetz (PSU) 6-2, 6-4
5. Julian Dehn (MINN) def. Christopher Hasyn (PSU) 6-3, 6-3
6. Michael Sicora (MINN) def. Chris Young (PSU) 6-1, 6-2
Order of finish: 5, 4, 2, 6, 1, 3