UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - The Penn State men's tennis team won its home opener against the Cleveland State Vikings in a 4-3 decision. Multiple newcomers stepped up to help the Nittany Lions clinch their first win of the season.
"We've been saying next man up for awhile now and it showed today," Head Coach Jeff Zinn said. " We had three freshmen playing their first collegiate tennis match. They all played extremely well and it should only go upwards from here on out. They got the butterflies out and the nervousness of the first match. Our leaders came through at the top and this was the formula that we will have to use most of the year. Really proud of the fight displayed by the team and not giving up!"
DOUBLES
The Nittany Lions dropped two matches in doubles against the Vikings. Courts two and three fell while court one went unfinished.
On court two, Miko Eala and Stefan Simeunovic paired against Cleveland State's Kade Mindry and Nico Jamison, but ultimately dropped, 6-4. On court three, Loren Byers and Nolan Ranger took on Lincoln Battle and Devin Boyer from the Vikings, but fell in a 6-4 matchup.
On court one, freshmen duo Jack Martuccio and Alex Sterin were up 5-3 against Carl Gedlitschka and Juande Dios Abboud, but did not finish the match.
SINGLES
Byers earned the Nittany Lions their first point in a 6-1, 7-6(2) matchup against Mindry. Eala was next on the board, defeating Mikael Erler, 6-3, 6-3.
Simeunovic fell but fought tough in a 6-4, 6-4 loss to Gedlitschka. Martuccio pushed through but fell short, 6-4, 7-6 (3), to Battle.
Sterin went back and forth against Jamison, taking the match into three sets. Sterin ultimately won, 6-3, 1-6, 7-5.
In a nailbiter ending, Ranger, a freshman, stepped right into place. Ranger came back from a 1-4 deficit in the first set, but dropped the second set. He tied up the third set, bringing it to a tiebreak. Ranger ultimately won the match 7-5, 2-6, 7-6(1). His win sealed the victory for Penn State. Both Sterin and Ranger collected important wins in the first matches of their collegiate career.
UP NEXT
The Nittany Lions will take on Toledo (0-2) at home on Friday, Jan. 26 at 5 p.m. Capping out the weekend, Penn State will face Temple (1-1) at home on Sunday, Jan. 28 at 1 p.m. Both events will be at the Penn State Indoor Tennis Center.
Visit GoPSUsports.com for more updates on the Nittany Lion's season. Follow the team on Instagram @pennstatemtennis and on X @pennstateMTEN for more continued updates.
RESULTS
Doubles:
1. Martuccio/Sterin (PSU) vs. Abboud/Gedlitschka (CSU), 5-3, unfinished.
2. Mindry/Jamison (CSU) def. Eala/Simeunovic (PSU), 6-4.
3. Battle/Boyer (CSU) def. Byers/Ranger (PSU), 6-4.
Order of Finish: 3,2
Singles:
1. Miko Eala (PSU) def. Mikael Erler (CSU), 6-3, 6-3.
2. Loren Byers (PSU) def. Kade Mindry (CSU), 6-1, 7-6 (2)
3. Lincoln Battle (CSU) def. Jack Martuccio (PSU), 6-4, 7-6 (3).
4. Carl Gedlitschka (CSU) def. Stefan Simeunovic (PSU), 6-1, 6-4.
5. Nolan Ranger (PSU) def. Devin Boyer (CSU), 7-5, 2-6, 7-6(1).
6. Alexander Sterin (PSU) def. Nico Jamison (CSU), 6-3, 1-6, 7-5.
Order of Finish: 2,4,1,3,6,5