Bucknell University
Colgate
Bucknell Men's Tennis Holds on for 4-3 Win at Colgate
4/2/2011 8:00:00 AM | Men's Tennis
April 2, 2011
HAMILTON, N.Y. – Bucknell men's tennis swept doubles play before Colgate gave them a run for their money, but the Bison (8-6, 1-1) held on for a 4-3 victory over the Raiders in Hamilton, N.Y., on Saturday afternoon. Clinching the victory for the Orange and Blue was freshman Kyle Rosen (Armonk, N.Y./Byram Hills), who defeated Connor Feuille in straight sets at sixth singles.
Although Rosen dismissed Feuille in the minimum number of sets, it wasn't quite a runaway decision for the young Bison. Rosen won the first set 6-4 and ultimately won the match by just one break of serve in the second set as well, 7-5. Rosen's clinching victory handed Bucknell its first Patriot League win of the year.
The Bison had jumped out to a quick lead after dominating in doubles action. Anton Kovic (Montreal, Quebec/Milton Academy (Mass.)) and Evan Zimmer (Essex Fells, N.J./West Essex) got back on the winning track with a convincing 8-1 win at the No. 1 position over Phil Bernasek and Ruslan Goussiatnikov. Josh Katten (Plainview, N.Y./Plainview JFK) and Kelly Morque (Rye, N.Y./Rye) then secured the Bison's first point with an 8-4 win over John Beam and Feuille.
Katten and Zimmer pushed Bucknell's lead to 3-1 with singles victories. Katten defeated Goussiatnikov 6-4, 6-4, while Zimmer followed with a 6-3, 6-4 decision over Alec Goldstein.
Colgate then took the next two singles matches to even the contest at three points apiece. The late threat ended with Rosen's strong performance, which gave him his 10th singles victory of the year.
Kovic was surprisingly not the last Bison on court after going into three tiebreakers with Bobby Berkowitz at No. 2 singles. Playing in just his fifth singles match of the year and his first since Feb. 25, Kovic lost the opening set 7-6. The second-set breaker went in his favor, however, giving the senior another life. Kovic again pushed Berkowitz in the third but just barely came up short, falling by another score of 7-6.
Bucknell has another tough test ahead of it as it hosts Army on Monday. The Black Knights, which were picked second in the Patriot League Preseason Poll after finishing runners-up in the 2010 league championship match, will take on the Bison at 1 p.m. at the Bucknell Varsity Tennis Courts. Army holds a 23-3 lead in the all-time series with Bucknell with the Bison's last win coming in 1974.
Bucknell 4, Colgate 3
Doubles
1. Anton Kovic/Evan Zimmer (B) def. Phil Bernasek/Ruslan Goussiatnikov (C), 8-1
2. Gregg Cohenca/Mark Malloy (B) def. Luke Gensberg/Sean Spellberg (C), 8-7
3. Josh Katten/Kelly Morque (B) def. John Beam/Connor Feuille (C), 8-4
Order of Finish: 1, 3, 2
Singles
1. Luke Gensburg (C) def. Gregg Cohenca (B), 7-5, 6-4
2. Bobby Berkowitz (C) def. Anton Kovic (B), 7-6, 6-7, 7-6
3. Evan Zimmer (B) def. Alec Goldstein (C), 6-3, 6-4
4. Josh Katten (B) def. Ruslan Goussiatnikov (C), 6-4, 6-4
5. Phil Bernasek (C) def. Mark Malloy (B), 7-6, 6-3
6. Kyle Rosen (B) def. Connor Feuille (C), 6-4, 7-5
Order of Finish: 4, 1, 3, 5, 2, 6
