JMU Tamed by No. 27 Penn State 5-2

Sunday, February 22

University Park, Pa.

3 p.m.

James Madison University

Penn State

2/22/2015 10:35:00 PM | Men's Tennis

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – James Madison men's tennis fell 5-2 at No. 27 Penn State on Sunday afternoon, dropping to 3-5 overall (1-0 CAA) this spring. The Nittany Lions snapped a five-match losing streak and improved to 4-6 in dual matches.

Penn State won the first four points of the day, clinching match point at 4-0 with one from a 3-0 showing in doubles play and three from wins at No. 3, No. 1 and No. 4 doubles. JMU won two of the final three singles matches to push the final score to 5-2.

The first win of the day for the Dukes came from sophomore Sebastian Salinas at the No. 2 singles position. Salinas dropped Matt Barry 6-4, 6-3 to push the match to a 4-1 team score.

JMU's second win came at No. 5 singles in the final match decision of the day. Sophomore Brett Moorhead downed Nika Dolidze 6-1, 6-4 to close out the afternoon.

In the day's opening doubles action, Moorhead and junior Maxi Branth were unable to overcome Roman Trkulja and Christian Lutschaunig, falling 8-0 at No. 3 doubles. PSU secured the doubles point with an 8-5 win by Alex Fennell and Michael Reilly at the No. 2 position over Salinas and sophomore Alex Berdnikoff. An 8-5 win by Aws Laaribi and Leonard Stakhovsky at No. 1 doubles over sophomore Miljan Ruzic and junior Robert Stirling completed the sweep.

Trkulja secured a 6-2, 6-0 win over Branth at No. 3 singles to give the Nittany Lions a 2-0 match lead. Fennell followed with a 6-3, 6-4 win over Stirling at No. 1 singles before Laaribi clinched match point with a 6-3, 6-3 win over Ruzic at the No. 4 position.

At No. 6 singles, Marc Collado defeated freshman Stephen Goldman 6-2, 6-1 for the final PSU point of the afternoon.

The Dukes return to the courts Feb. 28 at 10 a.m. as they take on league-foe William & Mary. JMU is 1-0 in Colonial Athletic Association action, having tallied a 4-1 win against Delaware over the opening dual weekend.

No. 27 Penn State 5, JMU 2
Singles
1. Alex Fennell (PSU) def. Robert Stirling (JMU) 6-3, 6-4
2. Sebastian Salinas (JMU) def. Matt Barry (PSU) 6-4, 6-3
3. Roman Trkulja (PSU) def. Maxi Branth (JMU) 6-2, 6-0
4. Aws Laaribi (PSU) def. Miljan Ruzic (JMU) 6-3, 6-3
5. Brett Moorhead (JMU) def. Nika Dolidze (PSU) 6-1, 6-4
6. Marc Collado (PSU) def. Stephen Goldman (JMU) 6-2, 6-1
Order of Finish: 3, 1, 4*, 2, 6, 5
Doubles
1. Aws Laaribi/Leonard Stakhovsky (PSU) def. Miljan Ruzic/Robert Stirling (JMU) 8-5
2. Alex Fennell/Michael Reilly (PSU) def. Sebastian Salinas/Alex Berdnikoff (JMU) 8-5
3. Roman Trkulja/Christian Lutschaunig (PSU) def. Maxi Branth/Brett Moorhead (JMU) 8-0
Order of Finish: 3, 2*, 1