Wash U not able to keep CMS from reaching third-straight title match
MASON, Ohio – One more win. That's what stands between the No. 1 ranked Claremont-Mudd-Scripps men's tennis team and an elusive national championship, after CMS defeated Washington University St. Louis 5-2 in the semifinals of the NCAA Division III Tennis Championships on May 19 at the Lindner Family Tennis Center. CMS has now reached the title match in three-straight seasons. The Stags won their lone men's tennis national title 1981 when they tied for the championship.
With the win, CMS next takes on Middlebury for the Division III national title on May 20 at 3 p.m. EDT. The match can be watched live on the NCAA Live Video webpage. The win also gave CMS its 31st of the season, a Stags Tennis record besting their 30-2 mark from last season.
CMS defeated Middlebury 7-2 on March 27 in Claremont. CMS is playing in the national championship for the fifth time in program history and is going for its second title, while Middlebury is also make its first national championship appearance overall and first since 2010 when they won it all.
Tuesday's semifinal match was a rematch from earlier this season. Back in March, CMS defeated Wash U 8-1 in Claremont with the lone point CMS lost coming in No. 1 doubles, 8-4. CMS' top doubles team of seniors Warren Wood (CMC) and Joe Dorn (CMC) avenged that early-season doubles loss in a big way in the semifinals rematch. Wood and Dorn defeated Jeremy Bush and Ross Putterman 8-2 this time around.
Junior Skyler Butts (CMC) and sophomore Daniel Morkovine (CMC) followed with an 8-3 win at No. 2 doubles over Kevin Chu and Jason Haugen. Wash U then salvaged a point at No. 3 doubles to narrow CMS' lead to 2-1 heading into singles.
Sophomore Glenn Hull (CMC) made quick work of Haugen in No. 6 singles, 6-1, 6-0. Wood labored at times in No. 1 singles against John Carswell, but still won 7-6 (7-3), 6-4 to put the Stags one point away from advancing with a 4-1 lead. Wash U then came back in No. 4 singles as Tyler Kratky defeated Dorn 6-4, 6-4. Butts clinched the win for CMS with a 6-4, 6-4 win at No. 2 singles over Putterman.
Results
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