MIDDLETOWN, Pa. – Penn State Harrisburg's men's tennis team made history last year when the Lions won the North Atlantic Conference (NAC) championship and earned the program's first automatic berth to the NCAA's Division III championship tournament in May.  With the way the men played through the fall, don't be surprised if they make it two in a row this spring.

The hot start by our men's tennis team comes in at number five on Penn State Harrisburg's countdown of top ten moments of the 2012 fall sports season.

The Lions began the year with an impressive four-match win streak, taking down the likes of Alvernia and Albright on the road before topping Goucher and Susquehanna on their home court at the Hoverter Tennis Complex.

Penn State Harrisburg was especially strong in the three, five and six spots where junior Vincent Lepore III (Chepachet, R.I. / Ponaganset), senior Tyler Loy (Annville, Pa. / Annville Cleona) and sophomore Zachry Warriner (Montrose, Pa. / Montrose) did most of the damage in singles play this fall.   

The Lions number two doubles' teams were stout and went 5-1.  The teams of Lepore/Warriner and Lepore and junior David Pottle (York, Pa. / Central York) recorded two wins apiece. 

The Blue and White's team of freshman Ben Leibig (Lebanon, Pa. / Lebanon) and senior Evgeny Matigullin (New Bloomfield, Pa. / Susquenita) went 3-2 in the top doubles slot.

Lepore had a big week in late September, picking up a combined four wins in singles and doubles play.  His stellar performance earned him the North Eastern Athletic Conference's (NEAC) Student-Athlete of the Week honor. 

Penn State Harrisburg finished the fall 4-2 overall with its only losses coming to York (Pa.) and St. Mary's (Md.), two soon-to-be annual foes from the Capital Athletic Conference (CAC).

The Lions begin play again in March of 2013.  Conference play gets underway on Mar. 29 when the men host Cazenovia.  Penn State Harrisburg was undefeated against NAC opponents last season and judging by the team's performance to this point, another goose egg in the loss column against league opponents seems not only possible, but likely.

Be sure to check back for the number four entry on Penn State Harrisburg's list of the top ten moments of the fall sports season.  Don't forget…"there's no place like home."