Bucknell University
Colgate (PL Quarterfinals)
Fourth-Seeded Bucknell to Face Fifth-Seeded Colgate in Patriot League Quarterfinals on Friday
4/21/2021 3:37:00 PM | Men's Tennis
Setting the SceneÂ
What:Â Patriot League Men's Tennis TournamentÂ
When:Â April 22-25Â
Where:Â Bethlehem, Pa.
Results: BucknellBison.com
Tournament ScheduleÂ
Thursday, April 22 – First RoundÂ
No. 8 Lafayette vs. No. 9 Holy Cross, 3 p.m.Â
Friday, April 23 – QuarterfinalsÂ
No. 1 Navy vs. No. 8/9 winner, 11 a.m.
No. 4 Bucknell vs. No. 5 Colgate, 11 a.m.
No. 3 Lehigh vs. No. 6 Boston University, 3 p.m.
No. 2 Army West Point vs. No. 7 Loyola Maryland, 3 p.m.
Saturday, April 24 – SemifinalsÂ
No. 1/8/9 vs. No. 4/5, 11 a.m.
No. 3/6 vs. No. 2/7, 3 p.m.
Sunday, April 25 – ChampionshipÂ
Semifinal 1 winner vs. Semifinal 2 winner, Noon
About the BisonÂ
• Fourth-seeded Bucknell kicks off the Patriot League Championships on Friday with an 11 a.m. quarterfinal match against fifth-seeded Colgate. It's the first Patriot League tennis tournament in two years after the 2020 season was cut short. This is the second consecutive Patriot League Tournament where the Bison are seeded fourth.
• The Bison earned the No. 4 seed after putting together a 3-7 overall record and a 2-2 mark in league play. Navy earned the top seed after an undefeated spring season and is followed by No. 2 Army, which went 7-2 overall and 4-1 within the league. No. 3 Lehigh finished just above Bucknell at 4-2 (3-2 PL). After Colgate, No. 6 Boston U., No. 7 Loyola, No. 8 Lafayette, and No. 9 Holy Cross round out the field.
• Bucknell collected Patriot League wins over Colgate and Loyola during the regular season while falling to Navy and Lehigh. Bucknell's loss to the Mountain Hawks was by a narrow 4-3 score this past Saturday. The Bison also faced Monmouth, Saint Francis, NJIT, Saint Joseph's and Temple in non-conference play.
• The Bison are led by senior Marwan Abaza, who's been the go-to option at No. 1 singles over the past two years. Abaza has missed portions of the season and is 2-4 in singles this spring, but he's been among the top players in the league and earned his third Patriot League Player of the Week award a few weeks back.
• Playing primarily at No. 2 singles is sophomore Michael Owen. Owen is 2-5 in that spot this spring but is 2-1 on court one when filling in for Abaza. He's also one of Bucknell's top doubles options, going 4-3 at No. 1 this year and 12-8 in doubles last year. Owen and Cooper Bradshaw have teamed up to win a team-best three doubles matches together in 2021.
• Stepping in and making an immediate impact this spring was junior transfer Nick Mueller. Mueller is 6-4 in singles, including a 4-1 mark on court three. He also owns a team-best six wins in doubles, playing primarily at No. 2.
• Senior Sam Yildirimlar and rookie Tim Zelikovsky each have three singles victories playing on courts 4-6. Sophomores Per Astrom and Guillermo Torres have one singles win apiece, and Torres has also collected three wins in doubles.
• Bucknell has tried out 13 different doubles combinations this spring and is 13-17 with those tandems.
• The Bison have won their quarterfinal match in three of the past five Patriot League Championships. They won as a five seed in 2015 and as the sixth seed in 2016 and 2017.
Scouting the RaidersÂ
• Colgate went 3-5 in the regular season, including a 3-2 record against league opponents. The Raider collected wins over Boston U., Holy Cross, and Lafayette in the season finale.
• Colgate senior Francis Scott Bickel has played every match at No. 1 singles for the Raiders and is 4-4 in that spot. Meanwhile, Colgate has played two different tandems at No. 1 doubles. Bickel and sophomore Jack Selati played in the top position over the last three matches and are 2-1. Before that, juniors Nick Potter and Rohan Gupta were 1-4 in the No. 1 spot.
Series HistoryÂ
• Bucknell is 4-6 over the last 10 matches against the Raiders, including a 4-1 win earlier this season. Bucknell lost the doubles point but took four in a row in singles play to defeat the Raiders back on April 3.
• Bucknell and Colgate last met in the Patriot League quarterfinals in 2018, with Colgate winning 4-2. Before that, Bucknell defeated Colgate 4-0 in the 2015 tournament.
Up Next
• With a win on Friday, Bucknell would advance to the Patriot League semifinal round to face the winner of Navy/Lafayette/Holy Cross.
Players Mentioned
