April 26, 2008

HAMILTON, N.Y. - The Bucknell men's tennis team concluded the 2008 season on Saturday morning, falling in the semifinal of the Patriot League Tournament to No. 2 seeded Army, by a score of 4-0. The Orange and Blue entered the Tournament, hosted by Colgate, as the No. 3 seed and defeated Lehigh by a score of 5-1 on Friday afternoon, to advance to the semifinal against Army.

To open the morning, Army took the doubles point, winning at the second and third positions. At No. 2, sophomore Zach Hascoe (Greenwich, Conn./Brunswick) and junior Jonathan Brenner (Manhasset, N.Y./Chaminade) were defeated by Johnny Lucero and Sean Harris by a score of 8-4, after pairing for the first time this season one day ago and picking up a win against Lehigh. At No. 3, freshman Mark Malloy (Bronxville, N.Y./Hackley School) and senior Ben Young (New Canaan, Conn./New Canaan) were topped by Tripp Johnson and Jordan Gridely by a score of 8-6.

In singles, senior Ira Reibeisen (Armonk, N.Y./Rye Country Day Upper School) was first off the court, suffering a loss against Phil Muhawi, 6-3, 6-2. Army's Sean Harris picked up a third point for the Black Knights, defeating Hascoe at No. 3, 6-4, 6-2. Johnson clinched the match for Army with a 6-1, 6-0 win over Brenner at the fourth position. Additionally, junior Ryan Sandburg (Orange, Calif./Canyon) dropped his match at No. 2 to Army's Eddie Kang, 6-7 (2), 3-4. The remaining matches did not finish.

The Bison close out the 2008 season with a final record of 11-10 and 4-3 in league play. Bucknell finished regular season league play with the highest placement (third) for the Orange and Blue since 2001. Army and Navy are now set to face off for the championship at the league tournament, Sunday at 1 p.m.

Singles
1. Phil Muhawi, Army def. Ira Reibeisen, Bucknell 6-3, 6-2
2. Eddie Kang, Army vs. Ryan Sandburg, Bucknell 6-7 (2), 3-4
3. Sean Harris, Army def. Zach Hascoe, Bucknell 6-4, 6-2
4. Tripp Johnson, Army def. Jon Brenner, Bucknell 6-1, 6-0
5. Jordan Gridley, Army vs. Mark Malloy, Bucknell 0-0, 0-0 DNF
6. Bruno Lucivero, Army vs. Dan Bednarek, Bucknell 0-0, 0-0 DNF

Doubles
1. Muhawi/Kang, Army vs. Reibeisen/Sandburg, Bucknell 5-6 DNF
2. Harris/Johnny Lucero, Army def. Hascoe/Brenner, Bucknell 8-4
3. Johnson/Gridley, Army def. Malloy/Ben Young, Bucknell 8-6