THE STORY
• The Bloomsburg University men's tennis team hosts defending Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) champion Mercyhurst in the semifinals of the 2019 PSAC Men's Tennis Championship Friday afternoon at the Burt Reese Tennis Center. The Huskies are the fourth-seed in the tournament after posting an overall record of 8-6, and a 2-3 conference mark. The Lakers are 15-3 overall, and bring a perfect 5-0 conference mark into Friday's match.
PSAC ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
• Huskies Sophomore
Nagid Walle (Willemstad, Curacao/Saint Andrews (Fla.)) was named the PSAC Athlete of the Week after going 2-0 in doubles and 2-0 in singles competition last week. Walle lost only three games all afternoon in a Bloomsburg win over Wilkes, teaming with
Benjamin Tauber (Bethlehem, Pa./Nazareth Area) for a 6-1 win at #2 doubles and then posting a 6-1, 6-1 victory over Colin Greenman at #5 singles. Against West Liberty, he again teamed with Tauber for a 6-4 win at #3 doubles and then clinched the match with a 6-3, 7-5 win over Maurits Smit at #4 singles.
BLOOMSBURG VS. MERCYHURST HISTORY
• Mercyhurst leads the all-time series with Bloomsburg 17-15, including a 4-3 win over the Huskies back on April 13 at the Burt Reese Tennis Center.
Lucas Pedrotti (Caxias do Sul, Brazil/Sao Jose) and Walle had the lone singles victories for the Huskies in the loss. The Lakers have dominated the series in recent years, with Bloomsburg's last win coming back on March 25, 2012.
THE HUSKIES AT A GLANCE
• Bloomsburg enters Friday's match riding a three-match win streak after victories over Wilkes University and West Liberty last week. Walle notched a pair of victories for the Huskies against West Liberty, while
Robin Luetzig (Hadamar, Germany/Furst Johann Ludwig Schule) and
Quin Bucheit (Shoemakersville, Pa./Hamburg) also notched singles triumphs.
• Walle sports an 11-4 overall record this season and has won eight of his last 10 matches, while Luetzig and
Oliver Wiesemann (Jena, Germany/Colegio Alemán de Málaga, Spain) each have seven wins on the season.
Guille Carranza (Sevilla, Spain/Escolapios) has tallied six wins in singles competition on the year.
• Luetzig and Wiesemann have teamed for seven wins in doubles competition this season, while Walle and Carranza are 5-5 as a doubles pairing.
SCOUTING THE LAKERS
• Mercyhurst has now claimed the No. 1 seed in back-to-back tournaments after producing a spotless 5-0 conference record and suffering just three losses on the season. The Lakers are reigning titlists, having defeated Edinboro in the championship match the past two years.
• Cormac McCooey has been sensational for the Lakers this season, posting an 18-5 overall singles record, and 12-4 mark in the lead singles position. Unai Amilleta Gonzalez is 19-5 with a 15-3 dual record, while Sebastian Pardo is 14-7 overall.
• McCooey and Amilleta Gonzalez are 20-5 and have won their last seven matches as a doubles tandem, and Ruairidh Fraser has teamed with Arseniy Sklyarov to post an 11-5 doubles mark.
LOOKING AHEAD
• With a win Friday, the Huskies will advance to play the winner of Friday's Millersville/Edinboro match in the PSAC Championship on Saturday, May 4, at the Burt Reese Tennis Center. First serve is scheduled for 1:00 p.m.
