Toledo Upsets Penn State 4-3 in Six-Hour Match Marathon

Friday, January 26

University Park, Pa.

5:00 p.m.

University of Toledo

Penn State

Matias Olivero secured match point from the No. 6 court in Toledo’s first Big Ten win over Penn State on Friday night.

Photo by: Daniel Miller/University of Toledo

Toledo Upsets Penn State 4-3 in Six-Hour Match Marathon

1/26/2024 11:45:00 PM | Men's Tennis

Box Score

Sophomore Matias Olivero delivers match point to propel the Rockets over the Nittany Lions for the first Big Ten defeat

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Sophomore Matias Oliver delivered the match point in a nail-biting three-set final to propel the Toledo men's tennis team to victory over Penn State, 4-3 on Friday night. The Rockets' win is the first over the Nittany Lions, and first over a Big Ten team since defeating Purdue (5-2) last season.

"We thought this would be a close match and as it turns out, it was a six-hour classic," head coach Al Wermer said. "This is our second Power-5 win in about twelve months. We still have a whole lot of work to do this year, but this is a nice highlight for today."

For the third time this season, the final match came down to sophomore Matias Olivero at the No. 6 court. Olivero won the first set, lost the second set to Alexander Sterin, and went back and forth in the third set to put it away with a 7-6(7) final to clinch the match for UT.

"Matias was absolutely stunning in his three-set win," Wermer added. "Another full team victory. His teammates willed him to the finish line amid a deep deficit with both players battling cramps."
Senior Pawit Sornlaksup rebounded with a two-set win from the top court, after breaking his 45-match winning streak on Wednesday at Ohio State, while junior Hanamichi Carvajal tied the match at 3-3 with his victory at the No. 5 court.

Toledo won the No. 1 and No. 3 doubles courts to take a 1-0 match lead into singles play.

Friday's match was the first between UT and Penn State since 2006.

Toledo (3-3) will be back in the Sarni Tennis Center to take on Temple (1-1) tomorrow at 1:00 p.m.

Toledo 4, Penn State 3
Singles
1. Pawit Sornlaksup (TOL) def. Loren Byers (PSU) 6-4, 7-6(3)
2. Eala Miko (PSU) def. Marko Galic (TOL) 6-1, 6-1
3. Stefan Simeunovic (PSU) def. Cole Cozens (TOL) 6(3)-7, 6-4, 7-5
4. Jack Martuccio (PSU) def. Charlie Snow (TOL) 6-4, 6-1
5. Hanamichi Carvajal (TOL) def. Nolan Ranger (PSU) 6-2, 6-4
6. Matias Olivero (TOL) def. Alexander Sterin (PSU) 7-6, 3-6, 7-6(7)
Doubles
1. Poonthong Komolpisut/ Pawit Sornlaksup (TOL) def. Jack Martuccio/ Alexander Sterin (PSU) 6-0
2. Miko Eala/ Stefan Simeunovic (PSU) def. Matias Olivero/ Charlie Snow (TOL) 6-0
3. Hanamichi Carvajal/ Marko Galic (TOL) def. Loren Byers/ Nolan Ranger (PSU) 6-4