Stags Topple #15 Bates, Fall to #6 Vanguard

Three seniors earned straight set singles wins in CMS' 7-2 triumph over #15 Bates on Saturday. Alex Lane (Sr. - Claremont, CA [pictured right]) got the decisive win at #4 singles, as the Stags won five of six singles matches.

The real story - on a day where CMS would later fall to NAIA #6 ranked Vanguard by a score of 7-2 - was the importance doubles in setting the tone for both matches. Bates entered this, their third and final match of a west coast trip, having won two of three doubles against two other highly ranked teams. The Stags put themselves in a position to sweep the doubles by winning at #1 and #3 doubles, and then forcing a tie-break at #2. Despite losing the tie-break at #2, CMS used the momentum built from a 2-1 lead to play some strong singles and earn a comfortable 7-2 victory over a worthy oponent.

Against Vanguard, the Stags found themselves playing catch up from the beginning of the doubles. Each of CMS' three pairs were down early breaks, and while Warren Wood (So. - Del Mar, CA) and Joe Dorn (So. - Washington D.C.) fought back to seven-all, that was as close as any Stag doubles team would get. Down 3-0 after the doubles, CMS would need to win five of six singles - a feat they had accomplished against a similar Vanguard team last spring. Sophomore Nikolas Marino (San Diego, CA) got his second singles victory of the day at #3, while freshman Skyler Butts (Santa Ana, CA) won for the second time in two days, this time at #5 singles. Stags captain Neel Kotrappa (Jr. - La Verne, CA) played for three hours at #6 singles, before losing in two tie-breaks, which turned out to be the only other real opportunity for the Stags to earn a point.

After four matches to start the season, CMS is 3-1 and will head to La Jolla, CA for the 124th Pacific Coast Doubles Championship. Play begins Thursday, Feb 28 and continues through Sunday March 3, and features doubles teams from the Pac-12, West Coast Conference, Big West, Big East, and ACC. The Stags will face #4 ranked Washington University St. Louis on Sunday, March 3 at 10:00 AM at La Jolla Country Day School.

#5 Claremont-Mudd-Scripps (7) vs. #26 Bates (2)
February 23, 2013 at Claremont, CA (Biszantz Family Tennis Center)

Doubles
1. Joe Dorn / Warren Wood (CMS) def. Rob Crampton / Matt Bettles (Bates) 8-6
2. Timmy Berg / Pierre Planche (Bates) def. Alex Lane / Nikolas Marino (CMS)  9-8(7)
3. Skyler Butts / Neel Kotrappa (CMS) def. Peter Yanovsky / Ben Bogard (Bates)  8-5

Singles
1. Warren Wood (CMS) def. Rob Crampton (Bates) 7-5, 6-2
2. Matt Bettles (Bates) def. Joe Dorn (CMS) 6-4, 7-5
3. Nikolas Marino (CMS) def. Timmy Berg (Bates) 6-2, 4-6, (10-8)
4. Alex Lane (CMS) def. Pierre Planche (Bates) 6-3, 7-5
5. Alex Johnson (CMS) def. Henry Lee (Bates) 6-1, 6-3
6. Mac Cahil (CMS) def. Dylan Reffe (Bates) 6-4, 6-0

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

#5 Claremont-Mudd-Scripps (2) vs. #6 Vanguard (7)
February 23, 2013 at Claremont, CA (Biszantz Family Tennis Center)

Doubles
1. Stefan Kilchhofer / Lukas Larsson (Vanguard) def. Warren Wood / Joe Dorn (CMS) 9-7
2. Roger Muri / Robin Wagne (Vanguard) def. Alex Lane / Nikolas Marino (CMS) 8-5
3. Yahor Kryvaruchka / Daymon Johnson (Vanguard) def. Lestter Yeh / Zhenya Pereverzin (CMS) 8-5

Singles
1. Stefan Kilchhofer (Vanguard) def. Warren Wood (CMS) 6-1, 6-3
2. Roger Muri (Vanguard) def. Joe Dorn (CMS) 6-2, 6-4
3. Nik Marino (CMS) def. Lukas Larsson (Vanguard) 6-2, 6-4
4. Robin Wagner (Vanguard) def. Alex Johnson (CMS) 6-1, 6-4
5. Skyler Butts (CMS) def. Yahor Kryvaruchka (Vanguard) 6-0, 6-2
6. Daymon Johnson (Vanguard) def. Neel Kotrappa (CMS) 7-6(5), 7-6(6)

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