University Park, Pa. – Alp Sentay clinched the comeback win for Penn State men's tennis over Cleveland State, 4-3, Thursday night at the Indoor Tennis Center. The Nittany Lions were down 3-0 before winning four singles matches to take their first win of the season.
Both the Blue and White and the Vikings now sit with an overall record of 1-2.
"It was a great match," head coach Jeff Zinn said. "I couldn't be more proud of the guys. The end of the lineup really came through. Especially since they have to come on after the first four matches, I was very impressed."
"That was exactly the kind of win we needed this early in the season," associate head coach Paul Tobin said. "It showed the guys that the score should not matter, if they keep fighting at some point the momentum will turn around."
DOUBLES
The Nittany Lions dropped a very closely contested doubles point to the Vikings.
The No. 33 duo of Christian Lakoseljac and Christos Antonopoulos defeated Nico Mostardi and Luke Phillips of Cleveland State, 6-4. The pair now has a 3-0 overall record at the top lineup spot.
On court two, Gabriel Nemeth and Alp Sentay came from behind to tie Matthew Terry and Kade Mindry, but couldn't take the tiebreak victory. The final score was 7-6 (5).
SINGLES
Antonopoulos was the first Nittany Lion to earn a singles victory, defeating Luke Phillips on court three, 6-2, 5-7, 6-4.
Freshman Charl Morgan was next to get a win, defeating Matthew Terry 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 on court two.
Fellow freshman Chikaya Sato tied up the score for Penn State on court five with a dominating two-set win over Kade Mindry, 6-2, 6-2.
In his first singles match of the spring season, Sentay clinched the comeback win for the Blue and White with a win over Jack Santilli in the last lineup spot, 6-2, 6-2.
UP NEXT
The Nittany Lions will continue their homestand, welcoming Buffalo and Mount St. Mary's for doubleheader action on Saturday, Feb. 8.
RESULTS
Penn State 4, Cleveland State 3
Doubles results:
1. No. 33 Christian Lakoseljac/Christos Antonopoulos (PSU) def. Nico Mostardi/Luke Phillips (CSU) 6-4
2. Matthew Terry/Kade Mindry (CSU) def. Gabriel Nemeth/Alp Sentay (PSU) 7-6 (5)
3. Clark Bilinovich/Raul Teichmann (CSU) def. Charl Morgan/Chikaya Sato (PSU) 6-3
Singles results:
1. Nico Mostardi (CSU) def. Christian Lakoseljac (PSU) 6-2, 6-4
2. Charl Morgan (PSU) def. Matthew Terry (CSU) 4-6, 6-4, 6-3
3. Christos Antonopoulos (PSU) def. Luke Phillips (CSU) 6-2, 5-7, 6-4
4. Clark Bilinovich (CSU) def. Gabriel Nemeth (PSU) 7-5, 7-5
5. Chikaya Sato (PSU) def. Kade Mindry (CSU) 6-2, 6-2
6. Alp Sentay (PSU) def. Jack Santilli (CSU) 6-2, 6-2
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