CMS Men's Tennis Earns Road Wins over Cal Lutheran, Westmont

CLAREMONT, Calif. - The Claremont-Mudd-Scripps men's tennis team played two road matches in two different towns and came away with a pair of wins, fighting off a challenge from Cal Lutheran for a 6-3 win in the morning in Thousand Oaks, and adding a 7-0 non-conference win at Westmont in Santa Barbara in the afternoon.

With the pair of wins, CMS now stands at 17-3 on the season and improves to 2-0 in the SCIAC with the win over Cal Lutheran. 

It wasn't easy, though, as the Stags found themselves down 2-1 after doubles, with the only win coming from Ethan Carroll and Christopher Li at No. 3 doubles. That depth proved to be significant, as CMS dominated at the back half of the lineup in singles to come away with the win, as the No. 1 and No. 2 singles lines split sets. 

Michael Hao earned the first singles win at No. 4, coming away with a 6-2, 6-1 victory. He was quickly followed by Ian Habbestad, who dominated at No. 5 for a 6-1, 6-0 win to give CMS the lead at 3-2. Matthew Robinson then added a 6-1, 6-2 win at No. 3 to put CMS on the verge of a clinch, and Morgan Schilling was able to fight off a challenge in the second set at No. 6, beaking serve in the final game for a 6-2, 6-4 win to give the Stags the team victory. 

Jack Katzman added a three-set win at No. 2, coming away with a 6-0, 4-6, 7-5 victory, while Philip Martin ended on the short end of a 10-4 match tiebreaker at No. 1 after relinquishing a one set and a service break lead. 

In the Westmont match, which was played under NAIA rules with doubles counting as only one point, CMS was able to take the lead into singles after winning on all three courts. Habbestad and Schilling earning a 6-2 win at No. 3 to give CMS the eraly advantage, while with Carroll and Li needed only one service break for a 6-4 win at No. 2. Martin and Arimilli gave back an early servive break, but then won a decisive sudden death deuce point receiving at 5-6 to complete the sweep for the Stags. CMS won six of nine deuce points across all three doubles sets, which proved to be critical in earning the doubles point.

Leading 1-0 heading into the singles, Carroll got his third win of the day and fifth of the weekend with a straight set win at No. 2. Hao put the Stags up 3-0 with his second decisive win at the No. 4 position, while Habbestad answered with his second singles win of the day at No. 5 to give the Stags the clinch. CMS earned their remaining three singles points with wins at No. 1, 6, and 3, with only Arimilli dropping a set at the third position. Li got his first win of the season playing at No. 1, and improves to 17-3 on the year overall, while Daniel Blackman made his first appearance as a starter since February 12, winning 6-4, 6-3 at No. 6.

CMS will be back in action on Friday when it plays two road matches in the same day again, taking on Division II Biola before heading up the road for a SCIAC match at Whittier.  On Saturday, CMS travels to Division I UC Riverside  before returning home to face Chapman at 3 p.m.

Claremont-Mudd-Scripps (6) vs. Cal Lutheran (3)
April 2, 2022 at Thousand Oaks, CA. (Poulson Tennis Courts)

Doubles
1. Darvel Lossangoye/Ryan Murphy (CLU) def. Nathan Arimilli/Philip Martin (CMS) 8-4
2. Parker McBride/Aaron Moylan (CLU) def. Matthew Robinson/Jack Katzman (CMS) 8-5
3. Ethan Carroll/Christopher Li (CMS) def. Griffin Biernat/Ben Vincze (CLU) 8-3

Singles
1. Darvel Lossangoye (CLU) def. Philip Martin (CMS) 1-6, 6-4,(10-4)
2. Jack Katzman (CMS) def. Parker McBride (CLU) 6-0, 4-6, 7-5
3. Matthew Robinson (CMS) def. Griffin Biernat (CLU) 6-1, 6-2
4. Michael Hao (CMS) def. Shawn Rothermel (CLU) 6-2, 6-1
5. Ian Habbestad (CMS) def. Ben Vincze (CLU) 6-1, 6-0
6. Morgan Schilling (CMS) def. Nick Griffin (CLU) 6-2, 6-4

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

Claremont-Mudd-Scripps (7) vs. Westmont (0)
April 2, 2022 at Montecito, CA. (Lynn Abbott Tennis Courts)

Doubles
1. Philip Martin/Nathan Arimilli (CMS) def. Logan Thompson/Ethan Ha (WESTMONT) 7-5
2. Ethan Carroll/Christopher Li (CMS) def. Owen Vander Ark/Joseph Hemry (WESTMONT) 6-4
3. Ian Habbestad/Morgan Schilling (CMS) def. Michael Hopkins/Benny Saito (WESTMONT) 6-2

Singles
1. Christopher Li (CMS) def. Logan Thompson (WESTMONT) 6-4, 6-4
2. Ethan Carroll (CMS) def. Ethan Ha (WESTMONT) 6-3, 6-2
3. Nathan Arimilli (CMS) def. Joseph Hemry (WESTMONT) 6-0, 4-6, 6-2
4. Michael Hao (CMS) def. Owen Vander Ark (WESTMONT) 6-3, 6-1
5. Ian Habbestad (CMS) def. Tristan Wright (WESTMONT) 6-4, 6-2
6. Daniel Blackman (CMS) def. Benny Saito (WESTMONT) 6-4, 6-3

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