Men’s Tennis Secures First Spring Win, 5-2 over Drexel

Sunday, February 5

South Williamsport, Pa.

12 p.m.

Bucknell University

Drexel

Photo by: Melissa Dudek -- UVA

Men’s Tennis Secures First Spring Win, 5-2 over Drexel

2/5/2023 4:43:00 PM | Men's Tennis

Box Score

SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. – Freshman Amar Tahirovic's three-set victory at No. 2 singles provided the clinching point and sent the Bucknell men's tennis team to an impressive 5-2 victory over Drexel on Sunday afternoon at the Central PA Tennis Center.

Freshman Brendan McDonald also won a gritty three-setter at No. 6 singles to cap off a perfect 4-0 weekend, and Harrison Gold and Nick Mueller added straight-set singles wins to put the Bison on the brink of victory.

Now 1-4 in spring dual matches, Bucknell's first win was a good one. Drexel had already posted a 6-1 win over Villanova, which edged the Bison 4-3 on Saturday, and Bucknell avenged a 7-0 loss to the Dragons last season.

Bucknell began the day by taking the doubles point in convincing fashion. Gold and McDonald won 6-3 over Drexel's top pair of Alan Jesudason and Alex De Sousa. The all-freshman tandem of Tihirovic and Oscar Bain Moreno de Vega won 6-2 at No. 2 doubles, and Mueller and Michael Owen were leading 4-2 at No. 3 when the point was clinched.

At No. 1 singles, Gold was a 7-6, 6-3 winner over Jesudason, who came into the weekend with a team-best 9-3 singles record. Mueller's return to the singles lineup resulted in a 6-2, 6-4 win over De Sousa.

Bucknell's lead was 3-2 after Drexel earned wins at No. 4 and 5 singles, and the final two matches still on the courts were extended to third sets. Tahirovic and Daniel Dudockin split the first two sets on Court 2, and then the Bison rookie closed out a 6-3 verdict in the third set with a service winner.

Clinching point from Amar! #goBison #rayBucknell #adversity @Bucknell_Bison pic.twitter.com/j4nFiWcDKu
— Bucknell MTennis (@Bucknell_MTEN) February 5, 2023

McDonald was down a set and 2-5 in the second against Pierre Humayou, but he rallied to win the second set in a tiebreaker and then took the third 6-4 despite battling through leg cramps, even though the team result had already been decided.

Bucknell is back in action next Friday against Saint Francis in Ebensburg, Pa.