FORT MYERS, Fla. – The Penn State men's tennis team (13-3) came back in singles despite dropping the doubles point to edge out the FGCU Eagles (6-7) and earn a 4-3 victory on Saturday evening in the FGCU Tennis Complex.
DOUBLES
FGCU swept doubles to clinch the first point of the match.
Malik Bhatnagar and Charl Morgan fell to Magnus Johnson and Randy Wilson 6-3 before Miko Eala and Stefan Simeunovic lost 6-4 to Eric Oncins and Marcelo Sepulveda. Finishing last, FGCU's Carter Bradford and Guglielmo Stefanacci defeated Sam Bossem and Ismail Saadi in a 6-4 contest.
SINGLES
The Nittany Lions won courts two, three, five, and six to complete the comeback over the Eagles.
FGCU came out to a quick 2-0 lead after Johnson defeated Charl Morgan, 6-1, 7-6(2). Bossem earned Penn State's first point on court three in a 7-5, 6-4 match versus Sepulveda, before Saadi grabbed the equalizer in a 7-6(3), 6-0 decision across from Juan Lopez.
Eala collected the Nittany Lion's first lead of the match at No. 2 against Wilson 7-5, 6-4 to make it 3-2. FGCU took a three-set win on court four when Stefanacci defeated Nemani 6-4, 3-6, 6-1 to even it back up. Simeunovic earned his second straight clinch and the win for the Nittany Lions in a 6-3, 6-7(4), 6-4 on court five against Oncins.
RESULTS
Penn State 4, FGCU 3
Doubles Results
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Magnus Johnson/Randy Wilson (FGCU) def. Malik Bhatnagar/Charl Morgan (PSU) 6-3
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Eric Oncins/Marcelo Sepulveda (FGCU) def. Miko Eala/Stefan Simeunovic (PSU) 6-4
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Sam Bossem/Ismail Saadi (PSU) vs. Carter Bradford/Guglielmo Stefanacci (FGCU) 5-5, unfinished
Order of finish: 1, 2
Singles Results
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Magnus Johnson (FGCU) def. Charl Morgan (PSU) 6-1, 7-6(2)
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Miko Eala (PSU) def. Randy Wilson (FGCU) 7-5, 6-4
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Sam Bossem (PSU) def. Marcelo Sepulveda (FGCU) 7-5, 6-4
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Guglielmo Stefanacci (FGCU) def. Pranav Nemani (PSU) 6-4, 3-6, 6-1
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Stefan Simeunovic (PSU) def. Eric Oncins (FGCU) 6-3, 6-7(4), 6-4
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Ismail Saadi (FGCU) def. Juan Lopez (FGCU) 7-6(3), 6-1
Order of finish: 1, 3, 6, 2, 4, 5
"It's good to see that we can get the job done despite losing the doubles point, and with two lineup guys out due to injury," said associate head coach Paul Tobin. "This being our 1st match outside I was a concerned we would not adapt; especially playing a Florida school that only plays outside."
UP NEXT
The Nittany Lions return home to face off against No. 21 Cornell on Saturday, March 18 at noon EST in the Penn State Indoor Tennis Center.
Check GoPSUSports.com for coverage of the Penn State men's tennis team during the season. Follow the team on Twitter @pennstateMTEN, Instagram @pennstatemtennis and on Facebook at facebook.com/pennstatemenstennis.