Stags too tough for #6 Middlebury

Playing their first match as the top ranked team in Division III, CMS Stags Tennis earned a hard fought 7-2 win against #6 Middlebury on Friday at the Biszantz Family Tennis Center. Junior Skyler Butts (Santa Ana, CA) and sophomore Daniel Morkovine (San Carlos, CA) won at #2 doubles and then at #2 and #5 singles respectively to lead CMS to their fourth win over a top ten ranked Division III opponent this spring.

Butts' and Morkovine's singles wins came in atypical fashion, with Butts dropping the first seven games of his match at #2, while Morkovine built a seemingly insurmountable 6-1, 5-1 lead. Butts came back twice from a break down in the second set to take the second 6-4, and the final set 6-2. He is now 4-0 in three set matches this season, which includes his last two dual matches. With the Stags up 4-1 in matches, Morkovine looked to be the obvious clincher at #5. However, his opponent won three straight games to make it 5-4 in the second, taking a toilet break just before Morkovine was to serve for the match a second time. Morkovine then lost the next three games to to force a decisive third set match tie-break while senior captain Warren Wood (Del Mar, CA) clinched the dual at the top singles spot. Morkovine then righted himself and closed out the match with a 10-7 match tie-break win. Rounding out the scoring for CMS were Joe Dorn (Sr. - Washington D.C.) and Max Macey (So. - Wilton, CT), both of whom won in straight sets at #4 and #6. Dorn improves to 9-1 in singles this spring, while Macey is now 14-4 overall.

CMS resumes SCIAC play on Saturday at 12 Noon against Whittier at the Biszantz Family Tennis Center. The Stags are 14-1 overall heading into their second conference match of the season.

#1 Claremont-Mudd-Scripps (7) vs. #6 Middlebury (2)
March 27, 2015 at Claremont, CA (Biszantz Family Tennis Center)

Doubles
1. Palmer Campbell / Peter Heidrich (Middlebury) def. Joe Dorn / Warren Wood (CMS) 9-7
2. Skyler Butts / Daniel Morkovine (CMS) def. Ari Smolyar / Noach Farrell (Middlebury) 8-6
3. Nik Marino / Bryan Mehall (CMS) def. Chris Frost / Kyle Schlanger (Middlebury) 8-4

Singles
1. Warren Wood (CMS) def Ari Smolyar (Middlebury) 6-7(3), 6-1, 6-1
2. Skyler Butts (CMS) def. Noach Farrell (Middlebury) 0-6, 6-4, 6-2
3. Palmer Campbell (Middlebury) def. Nik Marino (CMS) 6-4, 7-6(2)
4. Joe Dorn (CMS) def. Jackson Frons (Middlebury) 6-3, 6-4
5. Daniel Morkovine (CMS) def. Coutney Mountifield (MIddlebury) 6-1, 5-7, (10-7)
6. Max Macey (CMS) def. Will de Quant (Middlebury) 6-1, 6-1

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