On to the Next: Stags Win Two More in Final Prep for National Indoors
CLAREMONT, Calif. - The No. 2-ranked Claremont-Mudd-Scripps men's tennis team earned two more non-divisional wins on Saturday, defeating Division II Concordia-Irvine 6-1, and NAIA San Diego Christian 5-2. CMS is now 7-0 and will compete as the second seeded team in the ITA National D3 Team Indoors beginning Friday in St. Peter, MN.
Six different doubles teams took the courts for the Stags, with the cardinal and gold clinching the doubles point at the top position in both dual matches. Against Concordia, senior Jake Williams and first-year Ian Habbestad were dominant at the No. 3 spot, while third pair Nic Meister and Casey Morris similarly cruised against San Diego Christian. CMS lost both sets at the No. 2 doubles position, which set up decisive matches at the top spots. Juniors Jack Katzman and Robert Liu were unable to close out a 5-3 lead against Concordia, but held on for a 7-6(4) victory to give CMS an early advantage. Senior captain Nikolai Parodi and first-year partner Ian Freer also held a commanding 4-1 lead against San Diego Christian, but needed a service break at 5-6 to give the Stags a 1-0 lead in the night match.
In singles, CMS showed off its depth with convincing wins in the back half of both lineups. At the number 4-6 positions, the Stags dropped only one set in six total matches. Williams capped off an MVP type day by winning in straight sets to put CMS up 3-0 against Concordia. Habbestad at No. 6 faltered briefly, but then saved his best tennis for the third set to earn his second victory of the day. Habbestad was one of three Stags involved in three-set matches against CUI.
Against San Diego Christian, sophomore Ethan Carroll got the Stags' first singles point after his opponent retired trailing 6-1, 1-0. Senior Matthew Jacobs put CMS up 3-0 with a 6-1, 6-1 win at No. 5 singles, setting up the clinch for senior Jake Berber at No. 6. Berber leads all Stags with eight singles victories this season, although his opponent did all he could to postpone number eight by taking a medical time out and extended bathroom break at 4-0 and 5-0 down in the second set.
CMS opens play at the ITA D3 National Team Indoors on Friday at 12 Noon CST against 12th ranked Case Western. Play continues with matches on Saturday and Sunday. CMS last competed at the ITA National Team Indoors in 2018, falling 5-4 in the championship match to No. 1 Emory.
#2 Claremont-Mudd-Scripps (6) vs. Concordia University Irvine (1)
February 15, 2020 at Claremont, CA (Biszantz Family Tennis Center)
Doubles
1. Jack Katzman / Robert Liu (CMS) def. Yassine Smiej / Joel Ockernahl (CUI) 7-6(4)
2. Patrick Wong / Marlon Wilken (CMS) def. Nic Meister / Daniel Park (CUI) 6-2
3. Ian Habbestad / Jake Williams (CMS) def. Jan Simon / Otto Heinz (CUI) 6-1
Singles
1. Yassine Smiej (CUI) def. Jack Katzman (CMS) 3-6, 6-2, 6-3
2. Nic Meister (CMS) def. Patrick Wong (CUI) 6-3, 1-6, 6-2
3. Robert Liu (CMS) def. Joel Ockernahl (CUI) 6-2, 6-4
4. Daniel Park (CMS) def. Marlon Wilken (CUI) 6-0, 6-4
5. Jake Williams (CMS) def. Jan Simon (CUI) 7-6(6), 6-0
6. Ian Habbestad (CMS) def. Otto Heinz (CUI) 6-4, 2-6, 6-1
Order of completion
Doubles: 3, 2, 1
Singles: 4, 5, 3, 2, 6, 1
#2 Claremont-Mudd-Scripps (5) vs. San Diego Christian (2)
February 15, 2020 at Claremont, CA (Biszantz Family Tennis Center)
Doubles
1. Ian Freer / Nikolai Parodi (CMS) def. Ivan Smith / Christopher Papa (SDC) 7-5
2. Nick Nienhaus / David Samardzija (SDC) def. Daniel Park / Jake Berber (CMS) 6-4
3. Nic Meister / Casey Morris (CMS) def. Rodrigo Roxo / Paul Niederle (SDC) 6-2
Singles
1. Christopher Papa (SDC) def. Nikolai Parodi (CMS) 6-3, 6-2
2. Ian Freer (CMS) def. Nick Nienhaus (SDC) 7-6, 0-1 Ret.
3. Ivan Smith (SDC) def. Casey Morris (CMS) 6-3, 7-5
4. Ethan Carroll (CMS) def. David Samardzija (SDC) 6-1, 1-0 Ret.
5. Matthew Jacobs (CMS) def. Rodrigo Roxo (SDC) 6-1, 6-1
6. Jake Berber (CMS) def. Paul Niederle (SDC) 6-2, 6-0
Order of completion
Doubles: 3, 2, 1
Singles: 4, 5, 1, 6, 2, 3
