Behrend Topples Lions in AMCC Championship Match
ERIE, Pa. – Second seed Penn State Behrend men's tennis won the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference championship on Sunday afternoon at Westwood Racquet Club, dealing top-seeded Penn State Altoona a 5-1 loss.
Behrend (11-13) secures its seventh AMCC championship in men's tennis and will advance to the NCAA Division III postseason, while the season for Penn State Altoona (5-8) comes to an end with its AMCC runner-up status.
Behrend started the match by winning two of the first three points, prevailing 8-2 in No. 1 doubles and 8-5 in No. 2 doubles. Penn State Altoona salvaged a point in the No. 3 doubles match, where the duo of Jake Irwin (Hollidaysburg, PA/Hollidaysburg)/Kirk Eichenlaub (Hollidaysburg, PA/Hollidaysburg) picked up their third win of the season together with an 8-3 victory.
But Behrend won the next three points to end the match at 5-1, triumphing in the No. 1, No. 4, and No. 6 singles spots. The other three matches were ended with unfinished results as soon as the overall match reached decision.
Penn State Altoona's Casey Hess (Annville, PA/Annville-Cleona) and Irwin were both named to the AMCC All-Tournament team at the conclusion of the match. During the conference's postseason tournament, Hess went 1-0 in No. 3 singles and 1-1 in No 2 doubles, while Irwin was 1-0 in No. 5 singles and 2-0 in No. 3 doubles.
