Lehigh University Athletics
Lehigh to meet rival Lafayette on Thursday
4/1/2009 3:30:00 PM | Men's Tennis
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BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Lehigh returns to the court in search of its first Patriot League victory of the season as the Mountain Hawks host rival Lafayette on Thursday afternoon. The Mountain Hawks fell to 0-2 with a 5-2 loss at Army on Saturday and Lehigh will be looking to stop a three match slide overall, while also trying to avenge a 5-2 loss to the Leopards last year in Easton.
There were several bright spots for the Mountain Hawks from Saturday’s match at West Point. Sophomore Troy List continued his winning ways with a win at No. 1 singles as well as a win alongside Collin Laffey at No. 1 doubles. List now leads the Brown and White with a 10-7 singles record while he and Laffey own a 10-5 mark in doubles play.
“It was nice to go up to Army and win at No. 1 singles and No. 1 doubles,” explained Lehigh head coach Dave Shook. “We’re still a young team and sometimes we play like a young team which could be a problem for us.”
The Mountain Hawks (5-13) are still looking to compete at full strength for the first time this season. Freshman Leland Richardson returned to the Lehigh lineup at No. 3 singles at Army, but Lehigh may be without sophomore Chris Collins and freshman Ryan Krueger on Thursday. The injuries may force Shook to juggle his doubles pairings against the Leopards.
“We’ve been circling the wagons trying to put together a third doubles team,” said Shook. “It will probably be Richardson and (Edgars) Rauza. It’s going to be very important to try and win the doubles point. It’s going to be a close match, but if the guys play with the effort and intensity we saw at Army we can be successful on Thursday.”
Lafayette enters Thursday’s match at 4-6 overall after downing Wagner by a 7-0 score on Monday. The Leopards also own wins over Rider, Fordham and Winston-Salem State, while Lafayette’s losses have come to the likes of Fairfield, St. Peter’s, Campbell, College of Charleston, Delaware and Quinnipiac. Thursday’s match serves as Lafayette’s Patriot League opener.
Lehigh had won three straight meetings in the series, before the Leopards 5-2 win last season. List and senior Mike Gordon accounted for Lehigh’s two points with wins at second and fourth singles respectively.
“Our guys are very hungry to play,” said Shook. “We’ve played a lot of full scholarship teams tough, so it will be nice to go out and face another league opponent that is on our same level.”
Thursday’s match is slated for a 3 p.m. start from Lehigh’s Ulrich Varsity Courts.
