CMS Men's Tennis Adds Two More Wins, Defeats Point Loma and UC Santa Cruz

CLAREMONT, Calif. - The Claremont-Mudd-Scripps men's tennis team won twice on Friday, taking down Division II Point Loma Nazarene 6-1 in the afternoon, and then overcoming Division III West Region opponent UC Santa Cruz by an 8-1 score in the evening. Robert Liu won four matches, while Christopher Li, Jack Katzman, and Ian Freer all had three wins in the doubleheader.

CMS was impressive in doubles, using four pairs two win five of six matches. Freer and partner Ethan Carroll provided the most excitement, coming back from a 4-2 deficit in the tie-break at the No. 1 position against PLNU to win the final five points and complete the Stags doubles sweep. Against Santa Cruz at the No. 2 position, they lost a closely contested 8-6 decision where they were unable to convert on six deuce points. Katzman and Liu won both doubles by 6-2, and then 8-2 scores at No. 2 and No. 1 respectively, running their record to 6-1 in seven matches as a team. Matthew Robinson partnered Morgan Schilling against PLNU, and then Li against UCSC, winning by 6-4 and 8-2 scores at the No. 3 position.

In singles, both Liu and Li had exceptional two-win performances. Playing at the top spot, Liu yielded a mere five games against PLNU, and then four games against UCSC to improve his record to 10-2. Li was similarly dominant at No. 4 singles, securing the first singles point of the PLNU dual in straight sets, and then rattling off eleven straight games against UCSC for a 6-4, 6-0 victory that put the Stags up 4-1. Katzman clinched for CMS shortly thereafter at No. 2, followed by wins from Freer, Liu, and Michael Hao at No. 3, 1, and 6 respectively.

The Stags are now 4-1 overall and head to the ITA Division III National Team Indoor Championships next week in Cleveland, OH as the No. 3 seed. CMS will take on No. 6 University of Chicago in the first round at 9 AM EST on Friday, February 25.

Claremont-Mudd-Scripps (6) vs. Point Loma Nazarene (1)
February 18, 2022 at Claremont, Calif. (Biszantz Family Tennis Center)

Doubles
1. Ian Freer/Ethan Carroll (CMS) def. Tyler Davis/Alexander Leischuer (PLNU) 7-6(4)
2. Jack Katzman/Robert Liu (CMS) def. Lukas Schuster/Nabeel Khan (PLNU) 6-2
3. Morgan Schilling/Matthew Robinson (CMS) def. David Strassburger/Elias Weeks (PLNU) 6-4

Singles
1. Robert Liu (CMS) def. Tyler Davis (PLNU) 6-2, 6-3
2. Ethan Carroll (CMS) def. David Strassburger (PLNU) 6-2, 7-5
3. Ian Freer (CMS) def. Alexander Leischuer (PLNU) 2-6, 7-6, (10-7)
4. Christopher Li (CMS) def. Nabeel Khan (PLNU) 6-1, 6-2
5. Lukas Schuster (PLNU) def. Ian Habbestad (CMS) 6-4, 0-6, (10-3)
6. Morgan Schilling (CMS) def. Jasdeep Paintal (PLNU) 4-6, 6-4, 6-4

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

Claremont-Mudd-Scripps (8) vs. UC Santa Cruz (1)
February 18, 2022 at Claremont, Calif. (Biszantz Family Tennis Center)

Doubles
1. Jack Katzman/Robert Liu (CMS) def. Andre Mardirossian/David Jackson (UCSC) 8-2
2. Lucas Chen / Andrew Tjoa (UCSC) def. Ian Freer/Ethan Carroll (CMS) 8-6
3. Christopher Li/Matthew Robinson (CMS) def. Praneet Varade/Sam Hall (UCSC) 8-3

Singles
1. Robert Liu (CMS) def. Andre Mardirossian (UCSC) 6-2, 6-2
2. Jack Katzman (CMS) def. Lucas Chen (UCSC) 6-1, 6-1
3. Ian Freer (CMS) def. Sam Hall (UCSC) 6-3, 6-1
4. Christopher Li (CMS) def. Andrew Tjoa (UCSC) 6-4, 6-0
5. Matthew Robinson (CMS) def. David Jackson (UCSC) 6-2, 6-0
6. Michael Hao (CMS) def. Julian Lafond (UCSC) 6-2, 6-4

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