Men’s Tennis Edged by No. 45 Minnesota

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. — A doubles win was not enough to lift Penn State men’s tennis (3-6, 3-6 B1G) over 45th-ranked Minnesota (5-4, 5-4 B1G) in the team’s first outdoor match of the season. The Nittany Lions fell to the Gophers in a 4-3 decision Sunday afternoon in the Baseline Tennis Center.

DOUBLES

In a thrilling doubles match, the Nittany Lions took the point with wins at No. 2 and 3. 

At the No. 1 spot, Tim Ruetzel (Munich, Germany) and Charl Morgan (Johannesburg, South Africa) came up short against Siim Troost and Vlad Lobak, 6-4. 

On court two, No. 40 Christian Lakoseljac (King City, Ontario, Canada) and Christos Antonopoulos (Athens, Greece) won the tiebreaker to knock off Minnesota’s team of Sebastian Vile and Jackson Allen 7-6, marking the pair’s second-straight win at the No. 2 slot. 

On court three, Miko Eala (Philippines/Manacor, Spain) and Sam Bossem (Wimborne Minster, United Kingdom) improved to 2-0 as doubles partners as they topped the Gophers’ duo of Bodin Zarkovic Daniel Martin, 6-4. 

SINGLES

Minnesota rallied from a 3-1 deficit to take wins at No. 3, 4 and 6. The deciding point came down to court four where Christos Antonopoulos fell in the third set to the Gophers’ Siim Troost 2-6, 7-6, 6-3. 

Tim Ruetzel earned his sixth consecutive singles win as he made quick work of Sebastian Vile winning in straight sets 6-4, 6-3. 

Bora Sengul (Denizli, Turkey) swept Vlad Lobakin 6-0, 7-5 to pick up his third win of the season at the No. 2 slot. 

UP NEXT

Penn State returns to University Park for a three-match home stand, starting with Iowa on Friday, March 26 and Nebraska on Sunday, March 28. 

RESULTS

Minnesota 4, Penn State 3

Doubles results:

1. Siim Troost/Vlad Lobak (MINN) def. Tim Ruetzel/Charl Morgan (PSU) 6-4

2. Christian Lakoseljac/Christos Antonopoulos (PSU) def. Sebastian Vile/Jackson Allen (MINN) 7-6

3. Sam Bossem/Miko Eala (PSU) def. Bodin Zarkovic/Daniel Martin (MINN) 6-4

Order of finish: 3, 1, 2

Singles results:

1. Jackson Allen (MINN) def. Christian Lakoseljac (PSU) 6-4, 6-3

2. Bora Sengul (PSU) def. Vlad Lobak (UMN) 6-0, 7-5

3. Dylan Heap (MINN) def. Miko Eala (PSU) 7-6, 6-3

4. Siim Troost (MINN) def. Christos Antonopoulos (PSU) 2-6, 7-6, 6-3 

5. Tim Ruetzel (PSU) def. Sebastian Vile (MINN) 6-4, 6-3

6. Bodin Zarkovic (MINN) def. Sam Bossem (PSU) 7-6, 7-5

Order of finish: 1, 5, 2, 6, 3, 4

Check GoPSUSports.com for coverage of the Penn State men’s tennis team during the season. Follow the team on Twitter @pennstateMTEN, Instagram @pennstatemtennis and on Facebook at facebook.com/pennstatemenstennis.