SOUTH HADLEY, MA. – After pulling off the
upset victory over second-seeded and fifth-ranked Amherst
yesterday, Williams men's tennis (11-6, 6-2 NESCAC)
couldn't muster a second upset bid over top-seeded and
top-ranked Middlebury (18-2, 8-0) this afternoon in the NESCAC
tournament championship match. The Panthers defeated the
Ephs, 6-0, to claim their sixth title in the last seven years.
Middlebury and Williams faced off against one another just last
weekend in the Ephs' final regular season match. The
Panthers won soundly, 8-1, using a 3-0 sweep of doubles play to
start off the match. Today's title match began with a
similar outcome.
Bryan Chow and Dicken Chaplin fell at court one, 8-2, while Nick
Lebedoff and Will Petrie lost at court two, 8-5. Felix Sun
and Trey Meyer really challenged Chris Mason and Andrew Peters in
their last match on April 2, but couldn't muster the same
energy and faltered at court three, 8-5.
Williams fought hard in singles play, and most of the first sets
all along the singles ladder were highly contested.
Ultimately, Lebedoff and Jeremy Weinberger were defeated in
straight sets at courts two and three. Lebedoff lost to
Andrew Lee for the second straight time this season in a 6-3, 6-2
result. Middlebury's Olsen had been struggling with an
injury and sat out during the last match with Williams, but today
he showed no signs of hurt in his 6-4, 6-2 defeat of Weinberger.
Although Olsen clinched the match with the fifth point, all
matches are allowed to finish the points that are already
underway. Therefore, Andrew Thomson of Middlebury defeated
Bryan Chow in three sets, 0-6, 6-3, 6-1, to bring the final score
to 6-0.
"Obviously, today we were not happy going down 3-0 in doubles
again, but overall this was a great weekend," said Williams head
coach Dan Greenberg. "It was a positive weekend and a step
forward for the team."
While Middlebury receives the automatic bid to the NCAA
Tournament, Williams will await their fate but will most likely
receive an at-large bid to continue post season play.
Middlebury 6, Williams 0
Doubles:
1) Andrew Thomson/Andrew Lee (MID) def. Bryan Chow/Dicken
Chaplin (WIL) --- 8-2
2) Eliot Jia/Conrad Olson (MID) def. Nick Lebedoff/Will Petrie
(WIL) --- 8-5
3) Chris Mason/Andrew Peters (MID) def. Felix Sun/Trey Meyer
(WIL) --- 8-5
Singles:
1) Andrew Peters (MID) vs. Felix Sun (WIL) 7-6, 5-2, unfinished
2) Andrew Lee (MID) def. Nick Lebedoff (WIL) 6-3, 6-2
3) Conrad Olson (MID) def. Jeremy Weinberger (WIL) 6-4, 6-2
4) Andrew Thomson (MID) def. Bryan Chow (WIL) 0-6, 6-3, 6-1
5) Peter Odell (MID) vs. Zach Weiss (WIL) 5-7, 4-5, unfinished
6) Eliot Jia (MID) vs. Richard Meyer (WIL) 6-4, 1-6, 0-1,
unfinished
