CMS advances to Stag-Hen championship match with wins over No. 11 Wesleyan and No. 5 Wash U
CLAREMONT, Calif. – Despite winning only one of six doubles matches on the day, No. 6 Claremont-Mudd-Scripps defeated both No. 11 Wesleyan and No. 5 Washington University in St. Louis by 6-3 scores to advance to the championship match of the Stag-Hen Invitational. CMS will face defending NCAA champion and No. 2 Bowdoin on Wednesday at 10 a.m. at the Biszantz Family Tennis Center.
In the quarterfinal match, CMS was within a point of being swept in doubles against No. 11 Wesleyan, as sophomore Julian Gordy (CMC) and Daniel Morkovine (CMC) saved a match point at 6-7 in the tiebreak at No. 1 doubles, before winning the last three points and salvaging a win for the Stags.
Despite the 2-1 deficit heading into singles, CMS dictated at every position except for No. 1, winning in straight sets at No. 2, No. 3, and No. 6. Wesleyan retired late in the second sets at the No. 4 and No. 5 positions due to cramps.
Against Wash U in the semifinal, CMS fell behind early at the top two doubles positions and never recovered, suffering 8-4 and 8-5 losses to give the Bears an early 2-0 advantage. At No. 3 doubles, senior Max Macey (CMC) and freshman Jake Williams (HMC) held a 4-1 advantage with chances to earn a second break of serve, but failed to capitalize and dropped an 8-6 decision to give Wash U the doubles sweep and a commanding 3-0 lead.
Undeterred, the Stags came out strong in four of six singles matches, taking first sets at No.1, No. 3, No. 5 and No. 6. Senior captain Glenn Hull (CMC) lost the first set at No. 2 by a 6-2 margin, but then raced out to a 5-3 lead in the second set. Freshman Daniel Park (CMC) found himself down a set and a break at 2-0 in the second, but the rattled off six straight games to force a decisive third set. Meanwhile, Hull could not close out his second set and had to save a match point at 5-6 in the second set tie-break, before winning the final three points and similarly forcing a third set.
Senior Alex Brenner (CMC) got the Stags on the scoreboard first, settling down after dropping three of the first four games to win eleven of the final twelve for a 6-3, 6-1 win at No. 6. Senior captain Morkovine narrowed the deficit with his 6-3, 7-6(3) win at No. 3. Hull pulled CMS even at 3-all, making quick work in his 6-2 third set win at No. 2. The Stags earned their first lead, a mere three and a half hours into the dual match, after freshman Nikolai Parodi (CMC) held a 6-1, 5-3 advantage, then dropped the second set, but got the win on his third match point at No. 1, for a 6-1, 5-7, 6-4 victory.
With a 4-3 advantage, CMS would need either Park at No. 4 or Macey at No. 5 to clinch. Leading 4-2 in the third set, Park played a flawless final two games to seal the victory for the Stags. Macey followed shortly thereafter with his 6-1 victory in the third to give CMS the singles sweep and a 6-3 win.
CMS faces No. 2 Bowdoin (4-0), who defeated No. 24 Whitman in the quarterfinal 7-2, and No. 9 Pomona-Pitzer in the semis, 6-3. The Stags look to avenge a 7-2 loss to the defending NCAA champs on March 20, 2016.
#6 Claremont-Mudd-Scripps (6) vs. #11 Wesleyan (3)
March 14, 2017 at Claremont, CA (Biszantz Family Tennis Center) Stag-Hen Quarterfinal
Doubles
1. Daniel Morkovine / Julian Gordy (CMS) def. Jake Roberts / Michael Liu (Wesleyan) 9-8(7)
2. Tiago Eusebio / Maxwell Smith (Wesleyan) def. Glenn Hull / Jay Yeam (CMS) 8-4
3. Steven Chen / Cameron Daniels (Wesleyan) def. Max Macey / Jake Williams (CMS) 8-3
Singles
1. Steven Chen (Wesleyan) def. Nikolai Parodi (CMS) 6-3, 3-6, 6-3
2. Glenn Hull (CMS) def. Michael Liu (Wesleyan) 6-2, 6-0
3. Daniel Morkovine (CMS) def. Tiago Eusebio (Wesleyan) 6-4, 6-1
4. Patrick Wildman (CMS) def. Joachim Samson (Wesleyan) 6-7(10), 5-3, Retired
5. Daniel Park (CMS) def. Cameron Daniels (Wesleyan) 6-4, 5-1, Retired
6. Max Macey (CMS) def. Jonathan Hotlzman (Wesleyan) 6-3, 6-1
Order of completion
Doubles: 2, 3, 1
Singles: 6, 2, 5, 3, 1, 4
#6 Claremont-Mudd-Scripps (6) vs. #5 Washington University St. Louis (3)
March 14, 2017 at Claremont, CA (Biszantz Family Tennis Center) Stag-Hen Semifinal
Doubles
1. Jason Haugen / Konrad Kozlowski (Wash U) def. Daniel Morkovine / Julian Gordy(CMS) 8-4
2. Jeremy Bush / J.J. Kroot (Wash U) def. Glenn Hull / Alex Brenner (CMS) 8-5
3. Radha Vishnubhotla / Bernardo Neves (Wash U) def. Max Macey / Jake Williams (CMS) 8-6
Singles
1. Nikolai Parodi (CMS) def. Johnny Wu (Wash U) 6-1, 5-7, 6-4
2. Glenn Hull (CMS) def. John Carswell (Wash U) 2-6, 7-6(6), 6-2
3. Daniel Morkovine (CMS) def. Bernardo Neves (Wash U) 6-3, 7-6(3)
4. Daniel Park (CMS) def. J.J. Kroot (Wash U) 5-7, 6-2, 6-2
5. Max Macey (CMS) def. Robin Engel (Wash U) 6-2, 3-6, 6-1
6. Alex Brenner (CMS) def. Radha Vishnubhotla (Wash U) 6-3, 6-1
Order of completion
Doubles: 1, 2, 3
Singles: 6, 3, 2, 1, 4, 5
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