Jan. 31, 2016
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- The No. 50 Penn State men's tennis team defeated No.60 Old Dominion in their home opener Sunday. The Nittany Lions (3-0) remain undefeated after topping the Monarchs (2-3) 5-2.
The doubles point came down to the second doubles team of Leo Stakhovsky (Kiev, Ukraine) and Constant De La Bassetiere (Reims, France). The duo played a tough match, going back and forth with Old Dominion's Weindl and Nicolussi. The Nittany Lions lost 5-7, giving the doubles point to the Monarchs.
Juniors David Kohan (Sydney, Australia) and Christian Lutschaunig (Richboro, Pa.) fell to the No.28 pair of Moundir and Kijametovic from ODU at first doubles. The Lions battled back from 4-1 to finish 6-3.
Senior captain Matt Barry (Lido Beach, N.Y.) and Aws Laaribi (Rye, N.Y.) played a strong, consistent match against Podvinski and Maestre. The pair dominated the third doubles spot, finishing first.
Stakhovsky came out strong in first singles and never let up against Moundir. The Nittany Lion came out on top 6-3, 7-5. Freshman De La Bassetiere settled in and made quick work of ODU's Weindl. Constant took control of second singles, winning 6-2, 6-3.
Barry kept the singles momentum going with a tough win against Old Dominion's Maestre. The fourth singles match went back and fourth, taxing both players. Senior Barry came out victorious 7-5, 6-4. ODU's Kijametovic took control of third singles, beating Laaribi 5-7, 6-0, 6-3.
The Nittany Lions were 3-2 going into the last two singles matches. Freshman Ben Lieb (Newtown Square, Pa.) clinched the match with a 6-4, 6-2 win over Podvinski at sixth singles. Senior Hanzlik wrapped up the match with a tough 7-6, 6-2 win over Nicolussi. Hanzlik won the first set tiebreaker against Nicolussi 7-5.
Head coach Jeff Zinn and his Nittany Lions continue their double header at 4 p.m. against University of Maryland-BC.
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5 Penn State, 2 Old Dominion
Doubles:
1. Moundir/Kijametovic (ODU) def. David Kohan/ Christian Lutschaunig (PSU), 6-3.
2. Weindl/Nicolussi (ODU) def. Leo Stakhovsky/ Constant De La Bassetiere (PSU), 7-5.
3. Aws Laaribi/Matt Barry (PSU) def. Podvinski/Maestre (ODU), 6-3.
Order of Finish: 3,1,2
Singles:
1. Leo Stakhovsky (PSU) def. Adam Moundir (ODU), 6-3, 7-5.
2. Constant De La Bassetiere (PSU) def. Michael Weindl (ODU), 6-2, 6-3.
3. Aziz Kijametovic (ODU) def. Aws Laaribi (PSU), 5-7, 6-0, 6-3.
4. Matt Barry (PSU) def. Javier Jover Maestre (ODU), 7-5, 6-4.
5. Tomas Hanzlik (PSU) Jacob Nicolussi (ODU), 7-6(75), 6-2.
6. Ben Lieb (PSU) def. Zvonimir Podvinski (ODU), 6-4, 6-2.
Order of Finish: 1, 2, 4, 3, 6, 5