Men’s Tennis Edged 5-4 in AMCC Title Match
ERIE, Pa. – The Penn State Altoona men's tennis team's 2023-24 season came to an end on Sunday afternoon, when the Lions suffered a 5-4 loss to Penn State Behrend in the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference championship match at Westwood Racquet Club.
Penn State Behrend (11-6), the top seed in the conference tournament, wins the AMCC championship and will advance to play the Atlantic East Conference champion on Sunday, May 5, at Hershey Racquet Club for a chance at a berth to the NCAA Division III Tournament. Meanwhile, second-seeded Penn State Altoona (11-5) is eliminated from the postseason.
Behrend started the match by sweeping doubles play, winning the three matches by scores of 8-5, 8-3, and 8-7 (7-5). Those losses proved to be costly for Penn State Altoona, as the Lions bounced back to win four out of six in singles play. But the rally was not enough to overcome the early deficit, and Penn State Altoona suffered a one-point match loss.
Andrew Chronister (York, PA/Dallastown) won his team-best 15th singles match of the year in the No. 2 spot, prevailing 6-3, 6-4. Nick Beard (Manns Choice, PA/Bedford) earned his 12th victory of the season with a 7-5, 6-3 triumph in No. 3 singles.
Kadyn Carey (Altoona, PA/Altoona) and Emmett Hibbs (Richfield, PA/East Juniata) each pulled out tiebreak wins in their matches. Carey got his sixth singles victory of the season in the No. 4 match, coming out on top by a 6-3, 4-6, 10-1 decision. Hibbs won his ninth of the year in the No. 5 slot, posting a 6-1, 2-6, 10-5 victory.
Carey and Chronister were both named to the AMCC All-Tournament team at the conclusion of the match for their performance during the conference playoffs.
