Feb. 11, 2018
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - The Penn State men's tennis team took on Cornell today in its second match of the weekend walking away with a tough 4-2 loss. The team led by head coach Jeff Zinn wrapped up a weekend trip in Ithaca, N.Y.
The Nittany Lions won the doubles point, going 2-1. Constant De La Bassetiere (Reims, France) and Christian Lakoseljac (King City, Ontario) knocked off Alafia Ayeni and Evan Bynoe 6-3. The pair of Gabriel Nemeth (Brasilia, Brazil) and Matt Galush (Cary, N.C) fought hard but had a 6-2 loss to David Volfson and Joseph McAllister. Alp Sentay (Izmar, Turkey) and Christos Antonopoulos (Athens, Greece) dominated Jake Hansen and Daniel Grunberger 6-1.
The team battled hard in singles but dropped four of five, with one match going unfinished. Lakoseljac outmatched Ayeni 7-5, 6-4 in a strong win. Antonopoulos found his rhythm in the second set but couldn't hang on and was defeated by Grunberger 7-5, 4-6, 6-3. Ben Lieb (Newtown Square, Pa.) put up a tough three sets against Bynoe but ultimately lost 5-7, 6-4, 6-3.
Sentay and Nemeth were both defeated by their opponents in two sets. Pietro Rimondini defeated Sentay 6-0, 6-2. Hansen outplayed Nemeth 6-2, 6-1.
No. 65 De La Bassetiere did not finish his match. After a comeback in the second set, the score was 1-6, 6-4, 4-5 at the conclusion of play.
"We just can't seem to get over the hump and close out matches," said associate head coach Paul Tobin. "We did not compete well in the third sets and Cornell was in our face putting pressure to hit through them. Our doubles are strong and it's still a long season with plenty of matches."
The Nittany Lions are now 3-4 on the season. Next up for the Lions is a double header Sunday, Feb. 25 against VCU and James Madison.
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Singles Results:
1. Constant De La Bassetiere (PSU) vs. David Volfson (COR) 1-6, 6-4, 4-5, unfinished
2. Christian Lakoseljac (PSU) def. Alafia Ayeni (COR) 7-5, 6-4
3. Daniel Grunberger (COR) def. Christos Antonopoulos (PSU) 7-5, 4-6, 6-3
4. Pietro Rimondini (COR) def. Alp Sentay (PSU) 6-0, 6-2
5. Jake Hansen (COR) def. Gabriel Nemeth (PSU) 6-2, 6-1
6. Evan Bynoe (COR) def. Ben Lieb 5-7, 6-4, 6-3
Doubles Results:
1. De La Bassetiere/Lakoseljac (PSU) def. Ayeni/Bynoe (COR) 6-3
2. Volfson/McAllister (COR) def. Nemeth/Galush (PSU) 6-2
3. Sentay/Antonopoulos (PSU) def. Hansen/Grunberger (COR) 6-1