UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa- The Big Red men's tennis team traveled to Happy Valley on Sunday to open their spring season and proved they are ready to play with anyone in the country by almost pulling off an upset of the #44 Penn State. The Big Red fought hard throughout the day, but after dropping the doubles point, could only split the six singles matches with the Nittany Lions, leaving them on the wrong side of a close 4-3 match.

At the #1 doubles spot, the Big Red tandem of Josh Goldstein and Kyle Doppelt proved their fall success was no fluke by knocking off Penn State's #1 doubles team of Jason Lee and Adam Slagter. Goldstein and Doppelt got out to an early 5-2 lead and cruised from there to the 8-5 victory.

The #2 doubles tandem of Jeremy Feldman and Andy Gauthier also looked to build upon their fall success, and found themselves locked in a tight battle. Through ten games, the score was tied 5-5, but Penn State was able to pull away in the final three games, taking the match 8-5.

In #3 doubles, Marc Asch and Mirza Klis got behind early, 2-6, but rallied to make the match competitive. In the end, they could not make up enough ground, and ended up losing 8-6 to give the Nittany Lions the doubles point.

The Big Red quickly tied the score, earning the first singles point on the strength of John Fife's 6-0, 6-3 victory at #3 singles over Ryan Gormley. With the win, the momentum began to swing in Cornell's favor.

In a very competitive match, Jeremy Feldman fell to Jason Lee of Penn State 6-3, 6-2 at the #4 singles spot. While Feldman was able to stay close early in the sets, Lee proved more effective at winning the big points, which allowed him to close out the sets.

The #1 singles spot was a match-up of two talented seniors, with Cornell's Josh Goldstein playing at that position for the first time in his career. He drew Brendan Lynch, who is accustomed to playing in the top spot for the Nittany Lions, and is one of the tougher players the Big Red will face all year. Goldstein proved he was capable of playing in the #1 position by winning some big points and extending ralies but ultimately fell 6-2, 6-2.

Sophomore John Jaklitsch provided Cornell with a big lift, and put them right back in the match with a very impressive win at #2 singles over Adam Slagter. After dropping the first set 6-1, Jaklitsch served notice early on this year that he will be a very tough out for any opponent. He was able to even the score by winning the second set 6-4, and then raced out a 5-2 lead in the third before putting the match away at 6-3. With the victory, Cornell moved to within one.

Not to be outdone by his classmate, sophomore Andy Gauthier proved he was also ready to be a force for the Big Red this season by capturing the #6 singles point and tying the match at 3-3. The outcome was never in doubt, as Gauthier jumped out a 4-1 lead in the first and never looked back, winning 6-3, 6-2.
The match hinged on the result of the #5 singles, where Cornell senior Kyle Doppelt took on Guillaume St-Maurice. They went back and forth in the first set, and found themselves locked up 4-4. St-Maurice was then able to win the next two games, taking the first set. In the second set, Doppelt was unable to quell the momentum St-Maurice had gained, and fell 6-1.

By extending Penn State to its limits, Cornell served notice that it is ready to be a major competitor this season. Their next test comes against Binghamton on Wednesday, February 11 at the Reis Tennis Center.

Final Score: #44 Penn State 4 def. Cornell 3
Doubles
1. Josh Goldstein/Kyle Doppelt (Cornell) def. Jason Lee/Adam Slagter (PSU), 8-5
2. Eddie Bourchier/Ryan Gormley (PSU) def. Jeremy Feldman/Andy Gauthier (Cornell), 8-5
3. Brendan Lynch/Guillaume St-Maurice (PSU) def. Marc Asch/Mirza Klis (Cornell), 8-6
Order of finish: 2, 3, 1

Singles
1. Brendan Lynch (PSU) def. Josh Goldstein (Cornell), 6-2, 6-2
2. Jonathan Jaklitsch (Cornell) def. Adam Slagter (PSU), 1-6, 6-4, 6-3
3. Jonathan Fife (Cornell) def. Ryan Gormley (PSU), 6-0, 6-3
4. Jason Lee (PSU) def. Jeremy Feldman (Cornell), 6-3, 6-2
5. Guillaume St-Maurice (PSU) def. Kyle Doppelt (Cornell), 6-4, 6-1
6. Andy Gauthier (Cornell) def. Jamie Cox (Penn State), 6-3, 6-2
Order of finish: 3, 4, 1, 2, 5, 6