Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
Cornell
Bucknell Men's Tennis Opens Spring Season At Cornell Duals
2/8/2003 7:00:00 AM | Men's Tennis
Feb. 8, 2003
ITHACA, N.Y. - The Bucknell men's tennis team opened the spring season playing in the Cornell Duals on Friday, February 7. The event was a five singles-one double format on the indoor tennis facility at the Ithaca, N.Y., school. Bucknell faced the host team Cornell in the first match of the day, before squaring off against Niagara later that evening.
The Bison opened play against the Big Red with a 2-6, 1-6 loss at the doubles flight. Freshmen Aaron Saperstein and Garrett Neff saw their first action of the spring, dropping the match to Michael Schlappig and Brett McKeon.
Sophomore Nick Denefrio forced Scott Spencer to a tie-breaker in the first set of the second flight, falling 6-7 (8-10), before dropping the match with a 0-6 second set. At flight four, freshman Asher Salam took Matt Cherner-Ranft to three sets, dropping a 0-6, 6-2, 4-6 decision, while sophomore Joe Menezes lost a hard-fought battle at number five to Sunil Iyer, 4-6, 7-5, 8-10.
Against Niagara, the Orange and Blue started the match on a positive note with Saperstein and classmate Don Whaley picking up a 7-5, 7-6, 7-3 decision in the doubles match. That would be Bucknell's lone win on the day, however, as all five singles players lost to the Purple Eagles.
Sophomore Leland Tien, playing at number one, fell to Erik Garcia, 4-6, 6-7 (3-7). Senior Todd Jacobs took Mike Kelly to three sets at the third flight. Jacobs rebounded from a 4-6 loss in the first to win 6-3 in the second. With the third set knotted at 4-4, Jacobs was forced to retire due to injury.
Bucknell falls to 0-2 for the season. The Bison take on Buffalo on Saturday, February 8, at 10:00 a.m., before closing out the duals with a match against Binghamton at 6:30 p.m.
Cornell
Singles
1. Aravinda Neuman (C) def. Leland Tien - 6-2, 6-1.
2. Scott Spencer (C) def. Nick Denefrio - 7-6 (10-8), 6-0.
3. Ray Wu (C) def. Todd Jacobs - 6-2, 6-2.
4. Matt Cherner-Ranft (C) def. Asher Salam - 6-0, 2-6, 6-4.
5. Sunil Iyer (C) def. Joe Menezes - 6-4, 5-7 (10-8).
Doubles
1. Michael Schlappig/Brett McKeon (C) def. Aaron Saperstein/Garrett Neff - 6-2, 6-1.
Niagara
Singles
1. Erik Garcia (N) def. Tien - 6-4, 7-6 (3).
2. Jon Vozanich (N) def. Denefrio - 6-4, 6-2.
3. Mike Kelly (N) def. Jacobs - 6-4, 3-6, 4-4 ret.
4. Jason Ramos (N) def. Salam - 7-5, 6-4.
5. Jason Pope (N) def. Joe Menezes - 6-0, 6-4.
Doubles
1. Saperstein/Don Whaley (B) def. Kris Hrisovulos/John Abella - 7-5, 7-6 (3).
