Stags open NCAA action with 5-1 win over Cruz

Juniors Warren Wood (Del Mar, CA) and Nik Marino (San Diego, CA) each contributed two victories as #1 Claremont-Mudd-Scripps advanced to the 3rd round of the NCAA team championships with a 5-1 win over #22 UC Santa Cruz. CMS improves to 27-1 on the season and will face #10 Pomona-Pitzer for the third time this year in the Round of 16.

The Stags again displayed their doubles strength, this time taklng two of three doubles pro-sets for their 27th advantage after doubles in 28 opportunities. Marino and Zhenya Pereverzin (Sr. Capt - Clackamas, OR) got CMS on the scoreboard first with an 8-4 win at #3 doubles. Wood and Joe Dorn (Jr. - Washington D.C.) put the Stags up 2-0 with their 8-3 win at #1, before Santa Cruz avoided the doubles sweep with a win at #2.

With a 2-1 advantage heading into singles, Stags' sophomore Skyler Butts (Santa Ana, CA) increased CMS' margin to 3-1 with his 30th win of the year at #4 singles. Marino followed moments later with his 22nd win at #3 to put CMS a match away from clinching. Wood sealed it for the Stags, coming back from a break down in the second set to complete the straight set win at #1.

CMS will face Pomona-Pitzer for the second time in a week, having clinched the SCIAC title with a win over the Sagehens on May 3 at Cal State Northridge. Match time is 2:00 PM Saturday at the Biszantz Family Tennis Center.

#1 Claremont-Mudd-Scripps (5) vs. #22 UC Santa Cruz (1)
May 9, 2014 at Claremont, CA (Biszantz Family Tennis Center) - NCAA 2nd Round

Doubles
1. Joe Dorn / Warren Wood (CMS) def. Eli Scandalis / Chris Goetz (UC Santa Cruz) 8-3
2. Max Littlejohn / Kyle Richter (UC Santa Cruz) def.  Neel Kotrappa / Skyler Butts (CMS) 8-4
3. Nik Marino / Zhenya Pereverzin (CMS) def. Garrett Deguchi / Chetan Munugala (UC Santa Cruz) 8-4

Singles
1. Warren Wood (CMS) def. Eli Scandalis (UC Santa Cruz 6-2, 6-4
2. Joe Dorn (CMS) vs. Max Littlejohn (UC Santa Cruz) 6-1, 1-2 DNF
3. Nik Marino (CMS) def. Garrett Deguchi (UC Santa Cruz) 6-0, 6-0
4. Skyler Butts (CMS) def. Kyle Richter (UC Santa Cruz) 6-0, 6-2
5. Daniel Morkovine (CMS) vs. Jimmy Soper (UC Santa Cruz) 6-1, 4-0 DNF
6. Zhenya Pereverzin (CMS) def. Chris Goetz (UC Santa Cruz) 6-6 (6-6) DNF

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