Posted: Mar 16, 2012

CMS In Stag-Hen Final After Two 5-4 Wins

CMS defeated #4 Johns Hopkins and #14 Bowdoin to advance to Saturday's final of the Stag-Hen Inviational to face undefeated #2 Emory. The Stags were led by their top duo, Warren Wood (Fr. - Del Mar, CA [pictured right]) and Alex Lane (Jr. - Claremont, CA), won won twice as a doubles team and twice at #1 and #2 singles respectively.

Doubles sweeps in both dual matches gave the Stags leads and momentum that neither Hopkins nor Bowdoin could eventually overcome. Senior Victor Chien (Diamond Bar, CA) stepped in at #3 doubles to partner with roomate Robbie Erani (Sr. - New York, NY) for two clutch 8-6 wins that put CMS up 2-0 in both duals. Number two pair Neel Kotrappa (So. - La Verne, CA) and Brandon Wei (Sr. - Lake Oswego, OR) won their fourth and fifth straight pro-sets as a team to complete the sweep in each match.

In the singles CMS played seven three-set matches on the day, ultimately prevailing in only three. Against Hopkins, CMS couldn't capitalize on three match points at #4 and #5 singles, relying on Lane's come-from-behind win to clinch the victory. Against Bowdoin it was Wood who provided the heroics. Battling cramps for much of the match, he rallied from a 1-4 deficit to pull out a dramatic 6-4 match-clinching win in the decisive set. Wood and Lane accounted for all of the Stags singles wins in each of the two duals.

With rain forcing the cancellation of the championship match, Emory and CMS share the Stag-Hen title for 2012. For Emory, it is their second Stag-Hen title, having beaten CMS in the 2011 final. For CMS, it is their third title, having beaten Emory in the inaugural championship match in 2007, and then Amherst in 2009. Trinity University (TX) and Kenyon shared the title in 2008 when the championship match was similarly abandoned due to rain.

Next up for CMS is a Wednesday double-header against #19 Trinity College (CT) and Babson. The Stags slipped to #18 in the latest ITA Divion III national rankings, their lowest ranking in a decade.

#18 Claremont-Mudd-Scripps (5) vs. #4 Johns Hopkins (4)
March 16, 2012 at Claremont, CA (Biszantz Family Tennis Center) Stag-Hen Invitational QF

Doubles
1. Alex Lane / Warren Wood (CMS) def. Warren Elgort / Jacob Barnaby (Johns Hopkins) 8-2
2. Neel Kotrappa / Brandon Wei (CMS) def. Tanner Brown / Erik Lim (Johns Hopkins) 9-7
3. Robbie Erani / Victor Chien (CMS) def. Andy Hersh / Jeff Komei (Johns Hopkins) 8-6

Singles
1. Warren Wood (CMS) def. Andy Hersh (Johns Hopkins) 4-6, 6-3, 6-3
2. Alex Lane (CMS) def. Tanner Brown (Johns Hopkins) 4-6, 7-6(4), 6-4
3. Ben Hwang (Johns Hopkins) def. Alex Johnson (CMS) 6-3, 6-1
4. Jensen Reiter (Johns Hopkins) def.Robbie Erani (CMS) 1-6, 6-2, 7-5
5. Warren Elgort (Johns Hopkins) def. Mac Cahill (CMS) 4-6, 6-4, 7-6(7)
6. Erik Lim (Johns Hopkins) def. Neel Kotrappa (CMS) 6-3, 4-6, 6-4

Order of completion
Doubles: 1, 3, 2
Singles: 3, 6, 1, 4, 2, 5

#18 Claremont-Mudd-Scripps (5) vs. #14 Bowdoin (4)
March 16, 2012 at Claremont, CA (Biszantz Family Tennis Center) Stag-Hen Invitational SF

Doubles
1. Alex Lane / Warren Wood (CMS) def. Oscar Pena / Sam King (Bowdoin) 8-5
2. Neel Kotrappa / Brandon Wei (CMS) def. Doug Kaplan / Kyle Wostencraft (Bowdoin) 8-6
3. Robbie Erani / Victor Chien (CMS) def. Kent Winingham / Noah Bragg (Bowdoin) 8-6

Singles
1. Warren Wood (CMS) def. Sam King (Bowdoin) 7-5, 3-6, 6-4
2. Alex Lane (CMS) def. Oscar Pena (Bowdoin) 6-2, 6-4
3. Casey Grindon (Bowdoin) def. Alex Johnson (CMS) 6-3, 6-0
4. Chris Lord (Bowdoin) def. Mac Cahill (CMS) 1-6, 7-6(5), 6-4
5. Noah Bragg (Bowdoin) def. Neel Kotrappa (CMS) 6-3, 6-2
6. Kyle Wostencraft (Bowdoin) def. Andrew Duckworth (CMS) 7-5, 6-2

Order of completion
Doubles: 1, 3, 2
Singles: 3, 5, 2, 6, 1, 4

QF Results

#18 CMS def. #4 Johns Hopkins 5-4

#14 Bowdoin def. #11 Wash U 6-3

#2 Emory def. #22 Skidmore 9-0

#6 Kenyon def. #13 Pomona-Pitzer 5-4

2nd Round Results

#18 CMS def. #14 Bowdoin 5-4

#2 Emory def. #6 Kenyon 6-2

#13 Pomona-Pitzer def. #22 Skidmore 6-3

#4 Johns Hopkins def. #11 Wash U 5-4

Final Round Matches Saturday - Cancelled Due to Rain