(UWIRE) UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- Michael James is as humble as they come.
Not even 100 career victories can change his mentality.
"I mean, yeah, it's nice," James said of the milestone, which he reached Saturday during the Penn State men's tennis team's 6-1 win over Cornell. "I don't dwell on it too much. I'm just trying to get this team in the right direction."
And maybe he helped do just that.
The victory at the Reis Tennis Center was the Nittany Lions' first on the road, as it moved them over .500 at 3-2.
"It was important," James said. "We needed to bounce back after the tough loss last week."
The Lions did just that, as they swept the doubles matches and won five of six singles matches. However, none were as significant as James'.
James, the No. 51 singles player in the nation, recorded the milestone by defeating Kyle Doppelt, 2-0 (6-3, 6-1).
James' 100 wins are the most of any Penn State men's tennis player in the last five years. Records before 2004 were unavailable.
Penn State coach Todd Doebler said James' victory was one of many in what has been a storied career.
"He's still writing his legacy," Doebler said. "It's something he will look back on at the end of the season."
James had success in doubles Saturday as well, as he and junior Brendan Lynch defeated Rory Heggie and Marc Asch, 8-1. The duo improved to 3-0 as a doubles team this season.
Lynch later topped Asch in singles, 2-0 (6-3, 6-1). Lynch is 5-0 this season, having won seven straight singles matches dating back to the fall.
Eddie Bourchier and Adam Slagter also came up with big performances for the Lions. The Australian freshman and the junior from Texas defeated Doppelt and Weston Nichols, 8-4, in doubles play. It was the fourth straight doubles victory for the duo.
Bourchier also picked up his first singles victory of the spring season, as he defeated Joshua Goldstein, 2-0 (7-6, 6-3), following Slagter's win over Heggie, 2-0 (6-4, 6-2).
(C) 2008 Daily Collegian via U-WIRE
