Men's Netters Return Five Starters, Including Four Sophomores,
Open 1999 Season Tuesday Hosting Penn State-Altoona
SELINSGROVE, (Pa.) — With five returning starters, including four who were just freshmen last season, 19th-year head coach Gary Fincke has every reason to believe his Susquehanna University men’s tennis team can improve upon its 3-10 record of a year ago, which included a 1-5 Middle Atlantic Conference Commonwealth League mark.
Fincke has good reason to be optimistic since he has added four quality newcomers to the roster and should now have the depth his team lacked last season. The Crusaders open their 1999 campaign on Tuesday, March 23, hosting a non-league match vs. Penn State-Altoona at 3:30 p.m.
“I feel we should be competitive with every team we play this season. We definitely will be putting six solid players out there each match this season,” says Fincke, who takes a career record of 130-96 (.575) in 1999. Fincke has led his teams to three 11-win seasons, including the league title in 1994.
Sophomore Tim Peters (Ipswitch, Mass./Millbrook School) returns at the top of the lineup after compiling a 6-7 record there as a rookie. Peters was plagued by inconsistency, but Fincke believes the year of experience will help the talented southpaw reach the potential he possesses.
“Tim is one of our keys to success in the MAC this season,” says Fincke. “He could be one of the two or three best players to ever play at Susquehanna. Both he and I expect the best this season and he is well on his way to accomplishing that.”
Playing under Peters at the two spot is senior co-captain Corey Hunter (Montoursville/Montoursville H.S.). Hunter was also 6-7 in singles matches last year, but is 26-12 during his career and within striking distance of becoming just the sixth player to record 30 wins in program history. He also teamed up with three different partners to go 8-7 in doubles a year ago. While Hunter’s playing time will be curtailed by his student-teaching commitments, he is a captain for a second straight season and will be counted on again for his leadership.
Hunter is expected to team with sophomore Ben DeBell (Concord, N.H./Londonderry H.S.) at first doubles this season. Also projected at number three singles, Debell was 4-9 in singles during his rookie season, but 4-5 with Hunter in doubles.
Yet another sophomore, Don Eckert (Conklin, N.Y./Susquehanna Valley H.S.) is tabbed as the starter at number four singles, and should team with Peters at number two doubles. Eckert split his only matches last season before illness cut his season short.
Sophomore Ben Stapelfeld (Hollidaysburg/Hollidaysburg H.S.) is projected at number five singles and number three doubles. Stapelfeld won just one of his 11 matches during his rookie season and needs to add confidence, according to Fincke. He is part of three players who could play the five spot this season.
Another one of those players is freshman Rob Logan (Mountain Top/Crestwood Area H.S.), who will start at number six in the opener. According to Fincke, Logan could be the most consistent player in the bottom half of the lineup – with excellent shot selection.
Two-year returning starter and senior Brad Minto (Freeport, N.Y./Long Island Lutheran H.S.) rounds out the trio expected to vie for the final two singles spots. Expected to team with Stapelfeld at number three doubles, Minto will likely play somewhere in every match this season. He won just two of his 13 singles matches last year, but was 5-5 with four different partners in doubles.
Freshmen Craig Bogusat (Rockaway, N.J./Morris Hills H.S.), Jeremy Bressler (Montoursville/Montoursville H.S.) and Ed Kirick (Washington, N.J./Warren Hills H.S.) round out the roster respectively.
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