Up to the Challenge

SELINSGROVE, Pa. — The Susquehanna University men’s tennis team is looking forward to overcoming some challenges and contending for the MAC Commonwealth Conference title, beginning with its 1 p.m. season-opener this Saturday, March 18, at Elizabethtown.

Head coach Gary Fincke (135-102, .570) returns all but one starter from last season’s 5-7 squad, which was 2-4 and fifth in MAC Commonwealth play, and hopes he has the horses to contend in his 20th season at the helm. That won’t be easy, since Fincke and his team have lost three of their campus courts this season to construction of the new sports and fitness facilities. While they will have all six outdoor courts and a new indoor facility with the field house sometime next year, the shortage this season means Fincke will have to split his team between the Susquehanna and the Selinsgrove Area High School courts for both practice and home matches.

“We will be looking to test ourselves,” said Fincke. “If we can play like we are capable of, we could be in the run for the playoffs up until the last match.

“We need to find people who can handle playing over there (Selinsgrove Area High School courts). They (the players) are pretty much going to be isolated and we need people who can play in that environment.”

Junior Tim Peters (New York, N.Y./Millbrook School) will return to the number-one singles spot for a third-straight year, going 6-7 there last season. He was a quarterfinalist at the MAC Individual Championships as a freshman, but eliminated in the first round last year. He also teamed up with two different partners to go 8-3 in doubles — primarily at number-two.

“Tim has big goals for this season,” said Fincke. “He and I would like him to be one of the best five players in the MAC.”

The number-two and three spots are a toss-up between junior captain Ben DeBell (Concord, N.H./Londonderry H.S.) and freshman Brian Ardire (Hummelstown/Hershey H.S.).

Also a three-year starter, DeBell played primarily at three last season — finishing 3-9. Fincke believes DeBell is playing better tennis and more consistent this spring. He also plans to team him with Peters at number-one doubles, where a new format will see a team earn just one team point for winning two or more of the three matches.

Ardire is a “first-rate addition to the squad”according to Fincke, who believes he could win 10 matches with his sound strokes and good court sense.

Junior Don Eckert (Conklin, N.Y./Susquehanna Valley H,S.) will occupy the number-four spot. A 2-11 player last year, Fincke also sees much improvement in him this season. While he struggled in singles, he was 9-2 while teaming with three different partners in doubles a year ago. Fincke plans to team him with Ardire at second doubles this season.

Injuries are hampering the projected number-five and six players in junior Ben Stapelfeld (Duncansville/Hollidaysburg Area H.S.) and sophomore Rob Logan (Mountain Top/Crestwood Area H.S.). Stapelfeld has a knee injury which may prevent him from beginning the season, while Logan is bothered by an ankle injury.

Logan had the team’s top record at 8-4, playing at number-six last year. He is also expected to play third doubles with freshman Abraham Taylor (Leola/Conestoga Valley H.S.).

A starter in his first two seasons, Stapelfeld was 3-6 playing either four or five last year.

Three younger players could move into the final two singles spots because of the injuries in sophomore Craig Bogusat (Rockaway, N.J./Morris Hills H.S.), Taylor, and fellow freshman Ryan Wheatley (Cambridge, Md./Charles Henderson H.S.).

Senior Ian Drummond (Manalapan, N.J./Manalapan H.S.), sophomore Ed Kirick (Washington, N.J./Warren Hills H.S.) and freshman Mike Sakelarides (Wind Gap/Pen Argyl H.S.) round out the roster.