CMS takes over #1 ranking, dismisses #3 Williams 8-1
CMS Stags Tennis took over the top ranking in Division III on Thursday, and then validated it with an 8-1 win over #3 Williams in a re-match of the 2013 NCAA Championship match. CMS was dominant from the first doubles point played, earning its tenth sweep in thirteen matches against Division III opponents.
Leading the way were the Stags' top pair and just named #1 team in the west region, juniors Joe Dorn (Capt. - Washington D.C.) and Warren Wood (Del Mar, CA). Dorn and Wood were overpowering in an 8-0 win that put CMS up 1-0 early. Playing up at the #2 position for the second straight dual match, sophomore Skyler Butts (Santa Ana, CA) and senior Neel Kotrappa (La Verne, CA) were 8-3 winners for the pair's twelfth win in thirteen matches this spring. Completing the doubles sweep were the Stags' #3 team of Daniel Morkovine (Fr. - San Carlos, CA) and Zhenya Pereverzin (Sr. - Clackamas, OR), who needed just one break at 4-5 to claim the win.
Playing without an injured Nik Marino (Jr. - San Diego, CA), the Stags moved Butts, Morkovine and Pereverzin up one position in singles, and started sophomore Lestter Yeh (Arcadia, CA) at #6. Despite winning five of six first sets, Williams struck first in singles, earning their only point of the evening at the top position, where Wood lost his first match of the spring against D3 competition. Butts continued his commanding play at the #3 spot with a 6-0, 6-3 win to put CMS up 4-1 in matches. Senior captain Pereverzin earned an unorthodox three-set clinching win at #5, while Morkovine followed closely in similar fashion. After a close first set that saw several service breaks, Yeh raised his game to win in two straight, putting the Stags up 7-1. Captain Dorn earned CMS' final victory of the night, with a grinding 7-5, 6-7(2), (10-7) win at #2 singles, which had him winning seven of the last eight points in the deciding match tie-breaker.
CMS returns to conference play, traveling to the Anaheim Hills Raquet Club for a 2:00 PM match against Chapman on Friday, followed by a 10:00 AM match at #15 Redlands on Saturday. CMS is now 16-1 overall.
#1 Claremont-Mudd-Scripps (8) vs. #3 Williams (1)
March 27, 2014 at Claremont, CA (Biszantz Family Tennis Center)
Doubles
1. Joe Dorn / Warren Wood (CMS) def. Matt Micheli / Alexander Schidlovsky (Williams) 8-0
2. Neel Kotrappa / Skyler Butts (CMS) def. Conrad Harron / Brian Astrachan (Williams) 8-3
3. Zhenya Pereverzin / Daniel Morkovine (CMS) def. Jose Raventos / Rohan Shastri (Williams) 8-5
Singles
1. Matt Micheli (Williams) def. Warren Wood (CMS) 6-4, 6-4
2. Joe Dorn (CMS) def. Howard Weiss (Williams) 7-5, 6-7(2), (10-7)
3. Skyler Butts (CMS) def. Conrad Harron (Williams) 6-0, 6-3
4. Daniel Morkovine (CMS) def. Alexander Schidlovsky (Williams) 6-1, 3-6, 6-1
5. Zhenya Pereverzin (CMS) def. Jose Raventos (Williams) 6-1, 1-6, 6-2
6. Lestter Yeh (CMS) def. Brian Astrachan (Williams) 7-5, 6-1
Order of completion
Doubles: 1, 2, 3
Singles: 1, 3, 5, 4, 6, 2