Jan. 27, 2011
UNIVERSITY PARK, PA. - The 71st-ranked Penn State men's tennis team (2-0) is slated to play a pair of matches this weekend. The Nittany Lions travel to Princeton (0-0) Saturday, Jan. 29 for a noon match before returning home to face the Army Black Knights (0-3) Sunday, Jan. 30 at 1 p.m., at the Penn State Indoor Tennis Center. Admission for the Army match is free.
The Nittany Lions opened their season impressively last weekend, posting two 6-1 victories against St. Bonaventure and Lehigh. Led by Penn State's No. 1 doubles team, senior Eddie Bourchier (Hobart, Australia) and junior Jason Lee (Sydney, Australia), set the tone early, taking an early 1-0 lead after sweeping all three doubles matches against St. Bonaventure and Lehigh. In the singles action, Bourchier started the season in style winning both matches in the No. 1 singles position. He defeated St. Bonaventure's Chris Post, 6-3, 6-7 (8-6), 6-1 and Lehigh's Troy List 6-3, 3-6, 6-3. Lee and sophomore Bryan Welnetz (Laredo, Texas) each posted a pair of convincing victories as the No. 2 and No. 3 singles players as well.
Bourchier looks to continue his quest to become Penn State's career doubles victory leader. After winning two doubles matches last weekend, Bouchier moved to within seven wins (66) of the record of 73 doubles victories.
Led by head coach Glenn Michibata, the Princeton Tigers have traditionally been a tough test for the Nittany Lions with a 13-4 all-time record against PSU. Princeton is beginning their season Saturday following an 8-13 season in 2009-10, which saw them ranked as high as No. 71 early in the season. The Tigers bring an inexperienced roster into the season, with only one senior returning. Senior Alex Faust and juniors Coleman Crutchfield, Yohei Shoji and Ravi Yegya-Raman look to guide the Tigers against Penn State.
The Black Knights are led by coach Jim Poling. The Black Knights are looking to improve on a 13-9 season last year with an inexperienced roster that only return one senior this season. The Black Knights began the season losing three tough matches against No. 31 Auburn, No. 41 Mississippi State and No. 70 Arkansas at the Auburn Invitational. Army will counter Penn State's potent No. 1 doubles team of Bourchier and Lee with freshman Asika Isoh and senior Tripp Johnson. In singles action, Isoh will test Bourchier in the No. 1 match and junior Donald Van Velzer will be the No. 2 singles player.
The No. 71 Nittany Lions will return to action Saturday, Feb. 5 for a home doubleheader against N.C. State at 9 a.m. and Bloomsburg at 2 p.m. at the Penn State Indoor Tennis Center.