Lehigh places three on All-Patriot League men's tennis teams
Posted: 05/08/2012
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – The Lehigh men’s tennis team had three student-athletes named to the All-Patriot League teams announced Tuesday. Sophomore Mark Goldberg and freshman Ben Gilman earned first team honors, while freshman Mitchell Petersen was named to the second team for the Mountain Hawks, who finished the season at 13-8 overall.
The Mountain Hawks went 4-1 in league play, defeating Army in the regular season for the first time in over 20 years, and earned the No. 2 seed in the Patriot League tournament before being upended by the Black Knights in the Patriot League semifinals.
Goldberg matched up against the best the opposition had to offer in his first year in the No. 1 singles spot for the Mountain Hawks. He posted a 7-8 record in singles matches, playing all but one match at the top spot, and battled late season injuries to go 2-2 against league opponents. Goldberg was also 9-8 in doubles action, beginning the year at the No. 1 spot alongside Petersen before the duo moved into the No. 2 spot, where they went 5-3.
Gilman’s emergency was a major factor in Lehigh’s strong regular season and advancement into the Patriot League semifinals. His freshman season began in the middle of Lehigh’s singles and doubles lineup, but my midseason, Gilman had risen to the No. 2 singles spot and he and junior Matt Savran became the Mountain Hawks’ top doubles team. Gilman amassed a 15-3 singles mark seeing action at all of the top four spots in Lehigh’s lineup. He played all his Patriot League matches out of the No. 2 slot, where he went 4-1 in the league and 5-2 overall. Gilman also led Lehigh with 12 doubles wins as he and Savran were 3-2 in the league out of the No. 1 spot.
With his second team laurel, Petersen gives Lehigh a pair of freshmen All-League selections. Petersen played the entire season in the top three in Lehigh’s lineup, settling into the No. 3 slot behind Goldberg and Gilman. He ranked second on the team behind Gilman in singles wins with 13 and was 4-2 at the No. 3 flight including 3-1 in the league. He also went 3-0 at No. 1 singles and 6-4 at No. 2 singles for a 13-8 overall record. Petersen was 10-10 in doubles action, playing primarily alongside Goldberg.
The league’s major athletic awards went to Army’s Asika Isoh, who was named Player of the Year and Navy’s Calvin Mark, who was honored as the league’s Rookie of the Year. Navy’s John Officer was named Coach of the Year.