Friday, February 9
New York, N.Y.
6:30 PM
Columbia University
vs
#7 Tennessee
Photo by: Columbia University Athletics / Stockton Photo, Inc.
No. 10 Men’s Tennis Hosts No. 7 Tennessee, Penn State This Weekend
2/8/2024 1:23:00 PM | Men's Tennis
Columbia hosts Tennessee in a top-10 showdown Friday before ending the weekend against Penn State
NEW YORK – The 10th-ranked Columbia men's tennis team returns home for an exciting weekend of tennis at the Philip and Cheryl Milstein Family Tennis Center. Columbia will host No. 7 Tennessee in a top-10 showdown Friday at 6:30 p.m. before ending the weekend with a match against Penn State on Sunday at 1 p.m.
Columbia is 4-1 overall this season after finishing 1-1 last weekend in North Carolina. Columbia lost at No. 13 Wake Forest, 5-2 on Friday. Looking to bounce back, the Lions met NC State on Sunday. NC State led the match, 3-0 before the Lions stormed back to win four straight singles matches and clinch a 4-3 win.
"I am extremely proud of our players for how they competed as a team in the win at NC State," Bidyut K. Goswami Head Coach of Men's Tennis Howard Endelman said. "We are now privileged to host No. 7 Tennessee from the SEC, which is historically one of the best programs in the country, and Penn State from the Big Ten."
THE MATCHUPS
Columbia will meet Tennessee for the fifth time Friday night. The Lions and Volunteers have each claimed two wins in the series that started in 2015. Most recently, Tennessee earned a 4-1 win over the Lions last season.
Tennessee is 7-1 overall this season after suffering its first loss last Sunday at No. 2 TCU. Shunsuke Mitsui and Filip Pieczonka have shined for the Volunteers as both are undefeated in singles through Tennessee's first eight dual matches. The Volunteers currently have three players included in the latest ITA singles rankings and two duos in the ITA doubles rankings.
Following the match against Tennessee, Columbia will face Penn State on Sunday afternoon. Columbia holds a 14-2 advantage in the series against Penn State. The most recent meeting came in 2022 when Columbia posted a 5-2 victory at home.
Penn State is 4-3 overall after a 2-2 performance last weekend. The Nittany Lions defeated Lehigh and Mount St. Mary's, but fell to Delaware and Georgetown. Penn State will play at St. John's on Saturday before facing Columbia Sunday.
LIONS IN THE RANKINGS
A group of Lions earned recognition in the first singles and doubles rankings released by the ITA this spring. Michael Zheng earned the No. 15 spot in singles as he is 4-1 playing the top spot this spring. Alex Kotzen came in at No. 101. Kotzen also holds a 4-1 record this spring playing primarily in the No. 2 singles.
The duo of Nicolas Kotzen and Max Westphal garnered the No. 24 spot in the doubles rankings. Nicolas Kotzen and Westphal are 3-1 this season while playing mostly in the doubles No. 2 spot. Roko Horvat and Hugo Hashimoto took No. 54 in the doubles rankings.
FOLLOWING THE LIONS
Stay up to date on all things Columbia Men's Tennis by following the Lions on X (@CULionsMTEN), Instagram (@culionsmten) and on Facebook (@ColumbiaAthletics).
Columbia is 4-1 overall this season after finishing 1-1 last weekend in North Carolina. Columbia lost at No. 13 Wake Forest, 5-2 on Friday. Looking to bounce back, the Lions met NC State on Sunday. NC State led the match, 3-0 before the Lions stormed back to win four straight singles matches and clinch a 4-3 win.
"I am extremely proud of our players for how they competed as a team in the win at NC State," Bidyut K. Goswami Head Coach of Men's Tennis Howard Endelman said. "We are now privileged to host No. 7 Tennessee from the SEC, which is historically one of the best programs in the country, and Penn State from the Big Ten."
THE MATCHUPS
Columbia will meet Tennessee for the fifth time Friday night. The Lions and Volunteers have each claimed two wins in the series that started in 2015. Most recently, Tennessee earned a 4-1 win over the Lions last season.
Tennessee is 7-1 overall this season after suffering its first loss last Sunday at No. 2 TCU. Shunsuke Mitsui and Filip Pieczonka have shined for the Volunteers as both are undefeated in singles through Tennessee's first eight dual matches. The Volunteers currently have three players included in the latest ITA singles rankings and two duos in the ITA doubles rankings.
Following the match against Tennessee, Columbia will face Penn State on Sunday afternoon. Columbia holds a 14-2 advantage in the series against Penn State. The most recent meeting came in 2022 when Columbia posted a 5-2 victory at home.
Penn State is 4-3 overall after a 2-2 performance last weekend. The Nittany Lions defeated Lehigh and Mount St. Mary's, but fell to Delaware and Georgetown. Penn State will play at St. John's on Saturday before facing Columbia Sunday.
LIONS IN THE RANKINGS
A group of Lions earned recognition in the first singles and doubles rankings released by the ITA this spring. Michael Zheng earned the No. 15 spot in singles as he is 4-1 playing the top spot this spring. Alex Kotzen came in at No. 101. Kotzen also holds a 4-1 record this spring playing primarily in the No. 2 singles.
The duo of Nicolas Kotzen and Max Westphal garnered the No. 24 spot in the doubles rankings. Nicolas Kotzen and Westphal are 3-1 this season while playing mostly in the doubles No. 2 spot. Roko Horvat and Hugo Hashimoto took No. 54 in the doubles rankings.
FOLLOWING THE LIONS
Stay up to date on all things Columbia Men's Tennis by following the Lions on X (@CULionsMTEN), Instagram (@culionsmten) and on Facebook (@ColumbiaAthletics).
Players Mentioned
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