The University of South Florida men's tennis team earned its sixth win of the season on Friday with a 4-3 victory over Penn State at the USF Varsity Courts. The Bulls are 6-3 on the year with conference play beginning on Sunday vs. St. John's.

“I was proud of the way we bounced back from not playing very well vs. UNC-Wilmington,” USF head coach Don Barr said. “We came out fighting and it showed. We won a doubles point that ended up being very important for us.”

The match-clinching win came at the No. 3 position from Wael Kilani over Bryan Welnetz, 5-7, 6-4, 6-3. Penn State had rallied from a 3-0 deficit to tie the match before Kilani's seventh win of the season gave USF the victory.

Lucas Jovita also earned a win at No. 1, defeating Eddie Bourchier in straight-sets, 6-2, 6-0. Sebastian Hagn, playing in his first singles match of the spring, earned a 6-1, 6-4 win over Guanhua Chen in the No. 6 spot.

Romain Deridder fell in his match at No. 2 to Jason Lee, 6-4, 6-3, while Federico Sabogal came up short vs. Russell Bader, 6-4, 6-3 at No. 4. Yannick Yoshizawa also dropped his match to Chris Young in the fifth slot, 6-4, 4-6, 6-3.

The Bulls swept the doubles matches for the third time this season to earn the point. Kilani and Sabogal beat Lee and C.J. Griffin 8-4 to clinch the point at No. 2 after Jovita and Hagn also won their match over Welnetz and Christopher Hasyn, 8-4 at No. 3. Deridder and Yoshizawa were the last to finish, winning a tough match with Bourchier and Bader 8-7 (7-5).  USF is yet to lose a No. 3 doubles match this season, running their tally to 9-0.

USF returns to action vs. the Red Storm at 12 p.m. on Sunday.

USF 4, Penn State 3
March 11, 2011
USF Varsity Courts

Singles
1. Lucas Jovita (USF) def. Eddie Bourchier (PSU), 6-2, 6-0
2. Jason Lee (PSU) def. Romain Deridder (USF), 6-4, 6-3           
3. Wael Kilani (USF) def.     Bryan Welnetz (PSU), 5-7, 6-4, 6-3       
4. Russell Bader  (PSU) def. Federico Sabogal (USF), 6-4, 6-3           
5. Chris Young (PSU) def. Yannick Yoshizawa (USF), 6-4, 4-6, 6-3       
6. Sebastian Hagn (USF)    def.  Guanhua Chen (PSU), 6-1, 6-4
Order of Finish – 1, 6, 4, 2, 5, 3

Doubles
1. Deridder/Yoshizawa (USF) def. Bourchier/Bader (PSU), 8-7 (7-5)
2. Kilani/Sabogal (USF) def. Lee/C.J. Griffin (PSU), 8-4
3.Jovita/Hagn (USF) def. Welnetz/Christopher Hasyn (PSU), 8-4
Order of Finish – 3, 2, 1