Bucknell University
Navy
Bucknell Men's Tennis Comes Up Short in 4-3 Loss to Navy
3/27/2011 8:00:00 AM | Men's Tennis
March 27, 2011
ANNAPOLIS, Md. - Bucknell men's tennis took three singles matches off defending Patriot League champion Navy, but the Bison had lost the doubles point giving them a tough 4-3 loss at the Tose Family Tennis Center on Sunday evening. The Midshipmen's Jeremy New clinched the victory in a three-setter over Bucknell's Evan Zimmer (Essex Fells, N.J./West Essex).
With the match knotted up 3-3, the overall decision came down to Zimmer and Jeremy at No. 2 singles. Zimmer won the first set 6-3, but New gave the Bison all he could handle in the second set. That frame went the way of the Midshipmen in a tiebreaker, 7-6 (7-5). New took that momentum into the third and ultimately defeated Zimmer 6-2.
Much was riding on that final singles match. Bucknell (7-6, 0-1) was looking for its first ever win over Navy (14-8, 2-0) but now drops to 0-34 in the series that began in 1950. The Bison have been making some progress against the Mids, however. Before Sunday's close contest, Bucknell claimed the doubles point for the first time in series history in last year's regular-season meeting.
Bucknell had trailed 3-1 in the match on Sunday before Josh Katten (Plainview, N.Y./Plainview JFK) and Mark Malloy (Bronxville, N.Y./Hackley School) won their singles matches in straight sets. Katten was the 6-4, 6-1 victor over Nicholas Gutsche at the third position, while Malloy defeated Matt Richmond 6-4, 6-0.
Kyle Rosen (Armonk, N.Y./Byram Hills) claimed the first point of the day for the Orange and Blue. The freshman won 6-4, 6-3 over Heyward Drayton at fourth singles.
In doubles play, Katten and Kelly Morque (Rye, N.Y./Rye) won in the third spot. The duo defeated Drayton and New, 8-1. Gregg Cohenca (Purchase, N.Y./Rye Country Day School) and Malloy nearly upended Mike Eisenberg and Gutsche at No. 2, but fell by a score of 8-6. Paired with Nick Birger and Owen Bullard's 8-3 win over Anton Kovic (Montreal, Quebec/Milton Academy (Mass.)) and Zimmer at first doubles, Navy gave itself the early lead.
Bucknell will look to bounce back from the loss on Wednesday, March 30 when it hosts Villanova. The match is slated for a 3 p.m. start at the Bucknell Varsity Tennis Courts.
Navy 4, Bucknell 3
Doubles
1 - Nick Birger / Owen Bullard (Navy) def. Anton Kovic / Evan Zimmer, 8-3
2 - Mike Eisenberg / Nicholas Gutsche (Navy) def. Gregg Cohenca / Mark Malloy, 8-6
3 - Josh Katten / Kelly Morque (Bucknell) def. Heyward Drayton / Jeremy New, 8-1
Order of Finish: 3, 1, 2
Singles
1 - Owen Bullard (Navy) def. Gregg Cohenca, 6-3, 7-5
2 - Jeremy New (Navy) def. Evan Zimmer, 3-6, 7-6 (7-5), 6-2
3 - Josh Katten (Bucknell) def. Nicholas Gutsche, 6-4, 6-1
4 - Kyle Rosen (Bucknell) def. Heyward Drayton, 6-4, 6-3
5 - Mark Malloy (Bucknell) def. Matt Richmond, 6-4, 6-0
6 - Nick Birger (Navy) def. Gregory Maxson, 6-3, 6-1
Order of Finish: 4, 1, 6, 3, 5, 2
