Netmen expect competitive showing from Colonials

By STEVE FEITL
Collegian Sports Writer

Following weeks of participating in tournaments, the Penn State men's tennis team will go head to head with an opponent and earn a team score for the first time this season.

The Lions host George Washington at 3 p.m. today at the Penn State Tennis Club.

"George Washington is one of the top teams in the East," Penn State Coach Jan Bortner said. "For years, they have been a program that has a great reputation. They have a real strong lineup from top to bottom, and they play great doubles."

The Lions are expecting a competitive match from the Colonials. They have been playing well recently, including a recent 6-1 win at Boston.

"They're coming off a good win against Boston, so I think they should be pretty tough," junior Chris Cahill said.

The Lions were originally scheduled to play their first dual meet against Eastern Michigan on Tuesday. But it was cancelled due to inclement weather in Michigan, preventing Eastern Michigan from traveling to State College.

In dual meets, the three doubles matches are played first. The team which wins two of the doubles matches receives one team point.

"By starting off with the doubles, the team can win that first point going into the singles matches," Bortner said. "A lot of times, close matches hinge on how you do in the doubles."

However, the doubles teams have been a concern for the Lions and a priority in practices, Bortner said.

"We've been making steady but slow progress," he added. "We're not quite as reckless or aggressive as we need to be at this point. You really have to go after the other team in doubles. It's an area where, right now, we're not where we want to be."

The Lions will be aided in singles by the return of their top player, senior Ivan Spinner. He missed the last two tournaments due to a stomach virus, but is now fully recovered.

Bortner noted that several of the players were sore after the Penn State Winter Classic on Feb. 18-19. But the team is now healthy and hoping to continue the success it achieved at the tournament.

"We're looking forward to this match and the one against Ohio State on Saturday," freshman Colin Smeeton said. "We're all pretty confident in the way we're playing right now."

And Bortner is expecting the Colonials to play a close match against the Lions.

"We're in for a real dogfight," he said. "I feel that it's probably going to be one of those matches that go down to the wire."