Sept. 12, 2008
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -
The Penn State men's tennis team opened the fall season today with round robin at the Penn State Tennis Center with Alabama, as part of the PSU Fall Classic. Junior Ryan Gormley (Las Vegas, Nev.) and sophomore Jamie Cox (Acworth, Ga.) led the way for the Nittany Lions as they each took part in a doubles victories and earned singles victories.
In doubles action, the Nittany Lions and Crimson Tide split four matches. For Penn State, Gormley teamed up with freshman Jason Lee (Melbourne, Australia) to earn an 8-4 victory over Alabama's team of Ricky Doverspike and Andrew Felsenthal. The doubles victory for Lee marks his first-ever collegiate doubles win. Also in doubles action, Cox and fellow sophomore Jake Toole (Sharon, Mass.) defeated Michael Jung and Houssam Yassine, 8-5.
Also in doubles play, senior Brendan Lynch (North Potomac, Md.) and Eddie Bourchier (Hobart, Australia) fell to by Mathieu Thibaudeau and Dan Buikema by a score of 8-4. Freshman Chris Hasyn (Lansdale, Pa.) made his debut teaming up with junior Guillaume St-Maurice (Saint-Eustache, Quebec). The pair was clipped 9-7 by Alabama's Trey Walston and Creighton Blanchard.
In singles action, Gormley and Cox each earned straight-set victories for the Nittany Lions. Gormley and Doverspike fought it out in the first set of their match with Gormley downing Doverspike in the first set, 6-4. He then carried over the momentum into the second set and took the match with a 7-6 (5) win in the tiebreaker. Cox was also sharp in his single match as he defeated Yassine. The two battled in the first set which led to a 7-6 (3) win. Into the second set, Cox did not hold back as he took the set, 6-4, and the match.
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Alabama had a strong showing in singles action, winning six of the eight matches. Thibaudeau was solid in singles as he defeated Lynch, 6-1, 6-4. Lee put up a strong effort in his loss to Saketh Myneni. In the first set, Lee cranked out the victory in a tiebreaker, 7-6 (6). In the second and third sets however, Myneni notched 6-3, 6-1 wins to take the match. Bourchier lost his first set to Jung, 2-6, but came back and won the second set, 7-5. Jung did not lose his steam though, as he beat Bourchier in the final set, 6-0, to win the match.
In other singles, Walston defeated Toole 6-2, 6-2, and Buikema defeated St-Maurice, 6-2, 6-4. Hasyn was defeated in his first career singles match versus Felsenthal, 6-1, 7-6 (4).
The PSU Fall Classic continues Saturday at 9 a.m. with Penn State, Princeton and Pepperdine in action. N.C. State and Alabama will follow at 1 p.m. All matches will be played at the Sarni Tennis Courts weather permitting. If necessary, the matches will be held indoors at the Penn State Tennis Center. The event will conclude Sunday as all teams will begin play at 9 a.m.
2008 PSU Fall Classic Results
9 a.m. Doubles
Mathieu Thibaudeau/Dan Buikema (Alabama) def. Eddie Bourchier/Brendan Lynch (Penn State), 8-4
Jason Lee/Ryan Gormley (Penn State) def. Ricky Doverspike/Andrew Felsenthal (Alabama), 8-4
Trey Walston/Creighton Blanchard (Alabama) def. Chris Hasyn/Guillaume St-Maurice (Penn State), 9-7
Jamie Cox/Jake Toole (Penn State) def. Michael Jung/Houssam Yassine (Alabama), 8-5
1 p.m. Doubles
Omar Altman/ Mahmoud Kamel (Pepp.) def. Jay Weinacker (N.C. State)/ Christian Welte (N.C. State) (9-8 (5))
Alex Krueger-Wyman/ George Carpeni (Princeton) def. Derek Stephens/ Jaime Pulgar (N.C. State) (8-6)
Peter Capkovic / Alex Vuckovic (Princeton) def. Frideric Prandecki / Rob Lowe (N.C. State) (9-8 (8))
Julian Sullivan/ David Chermak (N.C. State) def. Ryan Kim/ Alex Faust (Princeton) (8-6)
9 a.m. Singles
Thibaudeau (Alabama) def. Lynch (Penn State), 6-1, 6-4
Saketh Myneni (Alabama) def. Lee (Penn State), 6-7 (6), 6-3, 6-1
Buikema (Alabama) def. St-Maurice (Penn State), 6-2, 6-4
Jung (Alabama) def. Bourchier (Penn State), 6-2, 5-7, 6-0
Gormley (Penn State) def. Doverspike (Alabama), 6-4, 7-6 (5)
Cox (Penn State) def. Yassine (Alabama), 7-6 (3), 6-4
Waltson (Alabama) def. Toole (Penn State), 6-2, 6-2
Felsenthal (Alabama) def. Hasyn (Penn State), 6-1, 7-6 (4)
1 p.m. Singles
Jay Weinacker (N.C. State) def. Omar Altman (Pepperdine) (3-6, 6-4, 6-3)
Christian Welte (N.C. State) def. Peter Capkovic (Princeton)(6-3, 6-3)
Mahmoud Kamel (Pepperdine)def. Derek Stephens (N.C. State) (7-6, 6-1)
Alex Krueger-Wyman (Princeton) def. Jaime Pulgar (N.C. State) (4-6, 7-5, 6-1)
Alejandro Moreno (Pepperdine) def. Rob Lowe (N.C. State) (4-6, 7-5, 6-4)
George Carpeni (Princeton) def. Frideric Prandecki (N.C. State) (3-6, 7-5, 6-3)
David Chermak (N.C. State) def. Ryan Kim (Princeton)(5-7, 7-5, 7-6 (5))
Julian Sullivan (N.C. State) def. Parker Preyer (Princeton)(6-4, 6-4)
