Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell Wraps Up Patriot League Regular-Season Play vs. Lehigh, Lafayette
4/5/2011 8:00:00 AM | Men's Tennis
April 5, 2011
LEWISBURG, Pa. – Just days after hosting Army, Bucknell men's tennis begins its preparations for two more Patriot League foes. The Bison will welcome Lehigh to the Varsity Tennis Courts at 3 p.m. on Wednesday before hosting Lafayette at 10 a.m. on Sunday. Sunday is also Senior Day for Bucknell, which will recognize Anton Kovic (Montreal, Quebec/Milton Academy (Mass.)) and Mark Malloy (Bronxville, N.Y./Hackley School) prior to the match.
ABOUT THE BISON
- Bucknell, which is 8-7 overall and 1-2 in the Patriot League this year, split its last two Patriot League matches. The Bison earned a 4-3 win at Colgate before falling 6-1 to Army on Monday. Against the Raiders, Kyle Rosen (Armonk, N.Y./Byram Hills) clinched the victory, defeating Connor Feuille 6-4, 7-5 at sixth singles. Evan Zimmer (Essex Fells, N.J./West Essex) was the lone winner for the Bison in their matchup with the Black Knights. Zimmer took the 6-4, 6-0 decision over Donald Van Velzer at the No. 3 spot.
- Kovic has faced some tough bouts since returning to singles play last week. The senior's last solo match had come against Saint Francis (Pa.) on Feb. 25, but he returned against Colgate only to fall in three straight tiebreakers – 7-6, 6-7, 7-6 – to Bobby Berkowitz. Days later against Army, Kovic again went the distance but couldn't hang on against Gary Kushnirovich, 4-6, 7-5, (10-3).
- Josh Katten (Plainview, N.J./Plainview JFK) and Kelly Morque (Rye, N.Y./Rye) took a five-match doubles winning streak into the contest with Army. At 8-5, the sophomore duo now leads Bucknell in duals victories this spring.
- Zimmer's win over Army gave the sophomore his eighth victory in 10 matches, successfully turning around his luck after a 0-3 start to the spring. His recent stretch includes a 2-1 record against Patriot League opponents with the only loss coming in three sets to Navy's Jeremy New on March 27. Zimmer is 8-5 this spring and 14-9 for the year in singles.
- Bucknell is 94-79 in all singles matches this year. That equals the wins total for all of last season when the Bison finished 94-101.
- Although Bucknell's doubles lineup has proved steady recently, the Bison have used nine different combinations throughout the course of the year. Only a handful of those duos have a history together, including Katten and Morque who are 13-7 in their careers together. The unit went 5-2 last season while playing together only in tournaments and is 8-5 this season while playing together only in duals. Katten and Zimmer are 14-6 together, and Kovic and Morque are 8-12 as a team over the last two campaigns. Gregg Cohenca (Purchase, N.Y./Rye Country Day School) and Malloy have emerged as the 2010-11 squad's winningest duo, posting a 14-8 record this season. The pair was reunited after going 2-3 in dual action in 2009.
- The Bison will recognize Malloy and Kovic prior to the match vs. Lafayette on Sunday as part of Senior Day. The two veterans have combined for a record of 195-163 (.545) during their Bucknell careers.
ABOUT THE MOUNTAIN HAWKS
- Lehigh has won five of its last six matches, bringing its overall record to 12-5 this year. That also includes a 3-1 Patriot League record with wins over Holy Cross (7-0), Lafayette (7-0) and Navy (5-2). The lone loss came 6-1 at the hands of the still undefeated Army squad.
- The Mountain Hawks return both their First Team All-Patriot League selections – Troy List and Collin Laffey – from a year ago. List was also named the league's 2010 Player of the Year as Lehigh finished the campaign 10-12 overall and 2-4 in Patriot League action.
- List leads his teammates with a 13-4 record at No. 1 singles this spring. He and fellow senior Laffey have also teamed up for an identical record in doubles play.
- Bucknell defeated Lehigh 4-3 last season, evening the all-time series at 37 wins apiece. Katten survived a three-set match against Leland Richardson to clinch the team victory, finishing the day with a 6-7, 6-4, 6-3 decision.
ABOUT THE LEOPARDS
- Lafayette begins its week with a 4-9 overall mark and a 1-4 record in the Patriot League. Although the Leopards will face Hartford and Fordham before making the short trip to Lewisburg, their most recent matches include loss to Army (5-2), Lehigh (7-0), Navy (6-1) and Colgate (6-1). The lone win to break up that stretch came against Holy Cross (7-0).
- A year ago, Lafayette finished its season with seven wins and 11 losses. Its 1-5 Patriot League mark included a sweep over Holy Cross. Only one Leopard earned All-Patriot League honors as the recently graduated Eric Wiley was named to the first team.
- Bucknell has a commanding lead in the all-time series. Since the two teams first met in 1936, the Bison are 43-20 against the Leopards. That mark was improved with two wins last season, a 4-3 victory during the regular season and a 4-2 decision in the Patriot League Tournament quarterfinals. Katten again put up the clinching victory with a 6-1, 7-5 score over Steven Benezra to send the Bison to the tournament semis.
LOOKING AHEAD
The Bison have one more regular-season dual on the schedule before heading to the Patriot League Tournament. Bucknell will host Robert Morris on April 13 in its final tune-up for the postseason, which runs April 15-17 in Bethlehem, Pa.
