April 9, 2008

LEWISBURG, Pa. - The Bucknell men's tennis team opened a busy four-match week with a 7-0 loss at Penn State, Wednesday afternoon. Bucknell moved to a record of 8-7 overall (1-1 PL), while the Nittany Lions now hold a record of 12-9; Penn State is scheduled to take on Bloomsburg later Wednesday afternoon. The Bison were coming off an impressive 4-3 victory over Colgate this past weekend, their first win against the Raiders since 1998, and are now looking to play three Patriot League matches in the next four days, against Lehigh, Army and Lafayette.

Penn State took the doubles point, winning at all three positions. Senior Ira Reibeisen (Armonk, N.Y./Rye Country Day-Upper School) and junior Ryan Sandburg (Orange, Calif./Canyon) played at No. 1, falling to Adam Slagter and Chris Sherman, 8-5, to move to 9-5 this season. Junior Jonathan Brenner (Manhasset, N.Y./Chaminade) and freshman Anton Kovic (Montreal, Quebec/Milton Academy (Mass.)) paired at No. 2, moving to 8-6 this season after a loss against Eddie Bourchier and James Dwyer (8-4). Rounding out doubles play, freshman Mark Malloy (Bronxville, N.Y./Hackley Schoo) teamed with sophomore Zach Hascoe (Greenwich, Conn./Brunswick) for just the second time this season at No. 3. The pair moved to 1-1 this spring, with a loss against Ryan Gormley and Jake Toole (8-2).

The Nittany Lions went on to sweep all six matches in singles. Reibeisen (6-5 at No. 1) fell to Slagter, 6-4, 6-4, while at No. 2, Sandburg fell to Brendan Lynch, 6-2, 6-1, moving his season record to 9-5 overall and 5-6 at No. 2. At the No. 3 spot, Hascoe (8-6; 5-6 at No. 3) was defeated by Bourchier by a score of 6-3, 6-1, and at No. 4, Brenner (8-8; 3-7 at No. 4) was defeated by Guillaume St. Maurice by a score of 6-3, 6-4. Rounding out singles play, Kovic (7-8; 1-3 at No. 5) played at No. 5, falling to Gormley, 7-5, 6-4, and Malloy moved to 8-6 overall and 1-3 at No. 6, with a loss against Jamie Cox, 6-2, 6-2, at the sixth position.

Going into the rest of this week's play, Sandburg leads the Bison in singles wins this season, posting nine total, while Malloy, Brenner and Hascoe follow, each tallying eight. Malloy leads the team in doubles wins, with ten, while senior Ben Young (New Canaan, Conn./New Canaan), Reibeisen and Sandburg follow, each tallying nine victories.

The Bison are scheduled to remain on the road for their next three matches, which are all against Patriot League opponents. The Orange and Blue are set to take on Lehigh on Thursday, April 10, at 3 p.m., Army on Saturday, April 12, at 12 p.m., and Lafayette on Sunday, April 13, at 1 p.m.

Doubles
1. Slagter/Sherman (PSU) def. Reibeisen/Sandburg (BU) 8-5
2. Bourchier/Dwyer (PSU) def. Brenner/ Kovic (BU) 8-4
3. Gormley/Toole (PSU) def. Hascoe/Malloy (BU) 8-2

Singles
1. Adam Slagter (PSU) def. Ira Reibeisen (BU) 6-4, 6-4
2. Brendan Lynch (PSU) def. Ryan Sandburg (BU) 6-2, 6-1
3. Eddie Bourchier (PSU) def. Zach Hascoe (BU) 6-3, 6-1
4. Guillaume St.-Maurice (PSU) def. Jonathan Brenner (BU) 6-3, 6-4
5. Ryan Gormley (PSU) def. Anton Kovic (BU) 7-5, 6-4
6. Jamie Cox (PSU) def. Mark Malloy (BU) 6-2, 6-2