Saturday, February 6
2 p.m.
Lehigh University
4
vs
3
Drexel
Lehigh opens season with impressive 4-3 win over Drexel
2/6/2016 8:02:00 PM | Men's Tennis
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – The Lehigh men's tennis team battled for a hard-fought 4-3 win against a strong Drexel team Saturday afternoon in the Mountain Hawks' season opener inside the Lewis Tennis Center. Lehigh emerged victorious in the final four flights of singles to capture the win. Lehigh hands Drexel its first loss of the season as the Dragons fall to 2-1 and the Mountain Hawks move to 1-0.
"Honestly, this was one of the greatest matches I've ever been a part of," said Howard Talmud '77 Head Coach Wouter Hendrix. "I give a ton of credit to Drexel who pushed us to the brink and played outstanding tennis. We were playing from behind pretty much the entire match and the energy was incredible."
Freshman George Cooper clinched the match for Lehigh at No. 5 singles in his first collegiate action. Classmate Christopher Auteri, sophomore Jack Petersen and junior Ethan Bogard also picked up victories in singles play.
The duo of senior Jeremy Kochman and junior Graham Lehman earned a 6-3 win in the top flight of doubles, but the Dragons claimed the second and third flights to take a 1-0 match advantage behind the doubles point.
Petersen put Lehigh on the board after picking up a 6-2, 6-3 win over Drexel's Balaji Lakshmanan at No. 3 singles to tie the match at 1-1. Drexel jumped ahead 2-1 after Xabier Saavedra defeated Kochman 6-2, 6-3 in the top flight, but Auteri followed with a 7-6, 6-3 decision over Hamza Laalej to put the match score at 2-2.
The Dragons' Andrew Sinai squeaked out a 7-5, 2-6, 7-6 win over freshman Bryant Born at No. 2 singles to pull ahead 3-2. Bogard followed with a 6-2, 6-2 decision over Kashyap Ashok to keep Lehigh alive and tie the match at 3-3.
It came down to Cooper at No. 5 singles as the freshman was able to defeat Sinan Orhon 7-6 (4), 6-1 to clinch the 4-3 match win for the Mountain Hawks.
"Petersen got us on the board with a solid performance across the board," said Hendrix. "Auteri found a way to win being down a set. Bogard served and volleyed his way to an impressive win, and Cooper took the team on his back and carried us past the finish line. Even though we will be tired, we can't come out flat against Saint Francis tomorrow."
The Mountain Hawks are back in action Sunday at 2 p.m. when Lehigh hosts Saint Francis (Pa.) inside the Lewis Tennis Center.
Lehigh 4, Drexel 3
Doubles
1. Kochman/Lehman (Lehigh) def. Sinai/Subotic (Drexel) 6-3
2. Lakshmanan/Laalej (Drexel) def. Born/Cooper (Lehigh) 7-6 (2)
3. Ashok/Orhon (Drexel) def. Petersen/Auteri (Lehigh) 6-4
Order of Finish: 1, 3, 2
Singles
1. Xabier Saavedra (Drexel) def. Jeremy Kochman (Lehigh) 6-2, 6-3
2. Andrew Sinai (Drexel) def. Bryant Born (Lehigh) 7-5, 2-6, 7-6
3. Jack Petersen (Lehigh) def. Balaji Lakshmanan (Drexel) 6-2, 6-3
4. Christopher Auteri (Lehigh) def. Hamza Laalej (Drexel) 7-6, 6-3
5. George Cooper (Lehigh) def. Sinan Orhon (Drexel) 7-6 (4), 6-1
6. Ethan Bogard (Lehigh) def. Kashyap Ashok (Drexel) 6-2, 6-2
Order of Finish: 3, 1, 4, 2, 6, 5
"Honestly, this was one of the greatest matches I've ever been a part of," said Howard Talmud '77 Head Coach Wouter Hendrix. "I give a ton of credit to Drexel who pushed us to the brink and played outstanding tennis. We were playing from behind pretty much the entire match and the energy was incredible."
Freshman George Cooper clinched the match for Lehigh at No. 5 singles in his first collegiate action. Classmate Christopher Auteri, sophomore Jack Petersen and junior Ethan Bogard also picked up victories in singles play.
The duo of senior Jeremy Kochman and junior Graham Lehman earned a 6-3 win in the top flight of doubles, but the Dragons claimed the second and third flights to take a 1-0 match advantage behind the doubles point.
Petersen put Lehigh on the board after picking up a 6-2, 6-3 win over Drexel's Balaji Lakshmanan at No. 3 singles to tie the match at 1-1. Drexel jumped ahead 2-1 after Xabier Saavedra defeated Kochman 6-2, 6-3 in the top flight, but Auteri followed with a 7-6, 6-3 decision over Hamza Laalej to put the match score at 2-2.
The Dragons' Andrew Sinai squeaked out a 7-5, 2-6, 7-6 win over freshman Bryant Born at No. 2 singles to pull ahead 3-2. Bogard followed with a 6-2, 6-2 decision over Kashyap Ashok to keep Lehigh alive and tie the match at 3-3.
It came down to Cooper at No. 5 singles as the freshman was able to defeat Sinan Orhon 7-6 (4), 6-1 to clinch the 4-3 match win for the Mountain Hawks.
"Petersen got us on the board with a solid performance across the board," said Hendrix. "Auteri found a way to win being down a set. Bogard served and volleyed his way to an impressive win, and Cooper took the team on his back and carried us past the finish line. Even though we will be tired, we can't come out flat against Saint Francis tomorrow."
The Mountain Hawks are back in action Sunday at 2 p.m. when Lehigh hosts Saint Francis (Pa.) inside the Lewis Tennis Center.
Lehigh 4, Drexel 3
Doubles
1. Kochman/Lehman (Lehigh) def. Sinai/Subotic (Drexel) 6-3
2. Lakshmanan/Laalej (Drexel) def. Born/Cooper (Lehigh) 7-6 (2)
3. Ashok/Orhon (Drexel) def. Petersen/Auteri (Lehigh) 6-4
Order of Finish: 1, 3, 2
Singles
1. Xabier Saavedra (Drexel) def. Jeremy Kochman (Lehigh) 6-2, 6-3
2. Andrew Sinai (Drexel) def. Bryant Born (Lehigh) 7-5, 2-6, 7-6
3. Jack Petersen (Lehigh) def. Balaji Lakshmanan (Drexel) 6-2, 6-3
4. Christopher Auteri (Lehigh) def. Hamza Laalej (Drexel) 7-6, 6-3
5. George Cooper (Lehigh) def. Sinan Orhon (Drexel) 7-6 (4), 6-1
6. Ethan Bogard (Lehigh) def. Kashyap Ashok (Drexel) 6-2, 6-2
Order of Finish: 3, 1, 4, 2, 6, 5
Players Mentioned
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
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