CLARKS SUMMIT, Pa. – For the first time in three years, Penn State Harrisburg won't end its season with a conference championship celebration. The two-time defending North Eastern Athletic Conference (NEAC) champions were upset in the NEAC title tournament's semifinal round by Penn State Abington on Thursday, Apr. 25. The Blue & White fell to the opposing Lions 5-4 at the Birchwood Tennis & Fitness Club while Abington fell to eventual conference champion Rutgers-Camden in the championship match later the same day.
Penn State Harrisburg's top-ranked doubles team consisting of reigning NEAC Player of the Year Josh Cartmill (Carlisle, Pa. / Cumberland Valley) and junior Tyler Miller (Mechanicsburg, Pa. / Mechanicsburg) got the Lions off on the right foot with a 9-7 victory over Abington's number one pair of Steven Ly and Monte Dunson. However, Harrisburg trailed 2-1 after doubles play when the teams of Vincent Lepore III (Chepachet, R.I. / Ponaganset) and Zachry Warriner (Montrose, Pa. / Montrose) and Ben Leibig (Lebanon, Pa. / Lebanon) and Alex Koltun (Mount Gretna, Pa. / Cedar Crest) fell to Abington's number two and three pairs by 8-3 and 9-7 margins.
The middle of the Lions lineup was solid in singles play but ultimately the team's 3-3 split with Penn State Abington proved to be the difference in the end. Cartmill fell to Jordan Damsky in the number one slot while senior Evgeny Matigullin (New Bloomfield, Pa. / Susquenita) was defeated by Abington's Nigel Hopkinson 6-2, 7-5 in the clash of the second-ranked players. Miller bested Steven Ly 7-6 (7-4), 6-1 in the number three spot while Leibig and Lepore each won rather easily in the number four and five slots. Koltun fell to Abington's Matt Wolff 7-6 (7-1), 6-2 in the battle of the number six men.
"It was a tough match that came down to every player on the team," said Penn State Harrisburg Head Coach Becky Cecere. "Abington played really well. We did also but just not good enough to win."
Penn State Harrisburg ended its 2012-13 campaign with an 11-4 overall record and a 4-1 record in conference play. Despite the disappointing defeat, the Lions still have something to play for as members of the Blue & White can still compete in the NEAC's individual championship tournament later this month.