CMS Men's Tennis Concludes Another Perfect SCIAC Season With Win over Redlands
CLAREMONT, Calif. - The Claremont-Mudd-Scripps men's tennis team finished undefeated in SCIAC for the 16th year in a row (including 2-0 in a shortened 2020 season) by taking down Redlands 8-1 on Saturday on the final day of the regular season at the Biszantz Family Tennis Center.
The Stags added a 5-2 win over San Diego Christian in its second match of the day to conclude the regular season with a 23-6 record, as it heads into this weekend's SCIAC Tournament as the top seed.
CMS took a 2-1 lead against Redlands after doubles, with Michael Hao and Matthew Robinson prevailing 8-6 at No. 3 for the swing point. Nathan Arimilli and Jack Katzman also earned an 8-3 win at No. 2 for the Stags.
In singles, Redlands put up a strong fight, as Robert Liu went three sets at No. 1 before defeating Stefan Hester 6-2, 4-6, 6-3. Ian Freer and Morgan Schilling both needed to win tiebreakers in the first sets at No. 5 and No. 6, respectively, with Freer taking his tie-break on a second code violation with a 4-1 lead, while Schilling had to save a set point before prevailing 9-7. Both Freer and Schilling held on for straight set wins to give the Stags their sixth and seventh points of the morning.
Hao and Katzman matched each other for the most dominant singles win, with Katzman earning a 6-2, 6-2 victory at No. 2 and Hao earning a 6-2, 6-2 win at No. 4. With two more singles vistories on Saturday, Hao is now 18-3 on the season. Christopher Li added to his team leading singles victory total at the No. 3 position. Li trailed 5-1 in the first set but then won twelve of the next thirteen games for a 7-5, 6-1 win.
Hao completed a 4-0 day against San Diego Christian by teaming with Li for a 6-1 win at No. 3 doubles, and then winning 6-4, 6-0 at No. 4 singles. Robinson's 6-3, 6-2 win at No. 1 singles was the most impressive feat of the day, as he toppled previously undefeated Chris Papa 6-3, 6-2. Li's 7-5, 6-4 win at No. 3 was his twenty second singles victory of the season, while Schilling won his second singles match of the day with another tight first-set tiebreaker, winning 7-6(6), 6-2.
CMS has now been undefeated in SCIAC play every year since 2005, when it finished in third place at 7-3 in the second season under head coach Paul Settles. The Stags have since gone 10-0 nine times, 8-0 three times, 7-0 three times (including this year), and 2-0 in 2020 before the COVID shutdown.
CMS will host Occidental on Friday at 3 PM in one of two SCIAC Semifinals, while Pomona-Pitzer and Caltech will face each other in the other, with the two winners meeting on Saturday for the league title.
Claremont-Mudd-Scripps (8) vs. Redlands (1)
April 30, 2022 at Claremont, CA. (Biszantz Family Tennis Center)
Doubles
1. Stefan Hester/Jack Mattox (UR) def. Ian Freer/Robert Liu (CMS) 8-5
2. Nathan Arimilli/Jack Katzman (CMS) def. Andrew Yip/Thomas Reznik (UR) 8-3
3. Michael Hao/Matthew Robinson (CMS) def. Donovan Lilov/Josh Nelson (UR) 8-6
Singles
1. Robert Liu (CMS) def. Stefan Hester (UR) 6-2, 4-6, 6-3
2. Jack Katzman (CMS) def. Jack Mattox (UR) 6-2, 6-2
3. Christopher Li (CMS) def. Andrew Yip (UR) 7-5, 6-1
4. Michael Hao (CMS) def. Donovan Lilov (UR) 6-2, 6-2
5. Ian Freer (CMS) def. Josh Nelson (UR) 7-6(1), 7-5
6. Morgan Schilling (CMS) def. Thomas Reznik (UR) 7-6(7), 6-4
Order of completion
Doubles: 2, 1, 3
Singles: 2, 4, 3, 5, 6, 1
Claremont-Mudd-Scripps (5) vs. San Diego Christian (2)
April 30, 2022 at Claremont, CA. (Biszantz Family Tennis Center)
Doubles
1. Nick Nienhaus/Chris Papa (SDCC) def. Ian Freer/Robert Liu (CMS) 6-1
2. Nathan Arimilli/Jack Katzman (CMS) def. Robin Van den Hoek/Luis Hochenauer (SDCC) 6-4
3. Michael Hao/Christopher Li (CMS) def. Julius Kaufmann/Angel Herreros (SDCC) 6-1
Singles
1. Matthew Robinson (CMS) def. Chris Papa (SDCC) 6-3, 6-2
2. Nick Nienhaus (SDCC) def. Jack Katzman (CMS) 6-4, 7-5
3. Christopher Li (CMS) def. Luis Hochenauer (SDCC) 7-5, 6-4
4. Michael Hao (CMS) def. Julius Kaufmann (SDCC) 6-4, 6-0
5. Robin Van den Hoek (SDCC) def. Ian Habbestad (CMS) 6-4, 7-6(6)
6. Morgan Schilling (CMS) def. Angel Herreros (SDCC) 7-6(6), 6-2
Order of completion
Doubles: 1, 3, 2
Singles: 1, 4, 3, 6, 2, 5