Ephs Sweep Camels 7-0

Bennington, VT – There are good days in Eph tennis, and then there are Connecticut College at home days. Or, as Eph alumnus Arturo Kam once put it, "One of the best días of the año." Saturday was exactly that, as Williams delivered a commanding 7–0 sweep over No. 44 Connecticut College, putting together one of their sharpest and most energized performances of the season.

The Ephs came out flying in doubles. On Court 1, Nicholas Chen and Shawn Berdia played lights out tennis, racing to a 6–0 win with surgical returns and seamless movement at the net. Their chemistry and execution left no room for doubt, or games, as they posted a clean bagel.

On Court 2, Simon Volkema and Leon Liu brought the fire. Mixing big serves with aggressive poaching, the duo dominated from start to finish, grabbing a quick 6–1 win and letting out a fired-up "Let's go!" as they sealed it. On Court 3, Diego Marin and Andrew Chong showcased their rising chemistry, battling through a tight contest to secure a composed 6–4 win and complete the doubles sweep in style.

Singles play brought more of the same energy and dominance. At the top spot, Chen was unshakeable. The junior played with laser focus, hitting through the court and keeping his opponent on a string in a 6–1, 6–1 masterclass. Right behind him, Berdia imposed his game early and never let up, firing heavy ground strokes and closing with confidence to take it 6–3, 6–1.

On Court 3, Volkema delivered a smooth, all-court performance. After a solid 6–3 first set win, he absorbed a late push from his opponent and held his nerve in key moments to close out the second 7–5. Jack Ling followed on Court 5 with a mature and polished showing, striking early and often in a commanding 6–2, 6–3 win.

Court 6 belonged entirely to Marin. The first year was untouchable from the baseline and relentless in his focus, delivering a 6–0, 6–0 double bagel that drew cheers from teammates and fans alike.

And in the most dramatic match of the day, Leon Liu dug deep on Court 4. After dropping the opening set, he clawed his way back into a second-set tiebreak, saving big points with gutsy forehands and sneaky angles. He rode that momentum into the match tiebreak, staying composed under pressure and pulling away 10–6 to cap off the sweep.

It was the kind of team performance that fuels belief heading into the heart of the NESCAC season, and a reminder of how dangerous this group can be when everything clicks.

Eph head coach Dan Greenberg was proud of how the guys competed today. After the match, he said: "The guys bounced back well and executed everything we talked about and worked on this week. Everybody earned and took care of early opportunities, and Liu fought back incredibly well to finish the day on a great note."

Now 6–5 overall and 4–2 in the NESCAC, the Ephs turn their attention to a major road test against No. 2 Tufts tomorrow at 1 PM.
 
Doubles:

1. Chen/Berdia (WIL) def. Mulligan/Sohlberg (CONN) 6-0
2. Liu/Volkema (WIL) def. Taylor-Ker/Agarwal (CONN) 6-1
3. Chong/Marin (WIL) def. Tipnis/Winiecki (CONN) 6-4

Singles:

1. Chen (WIL) def. Taylor-Ker (CONN) 6-1, 6-1
2. Berdia (WIL) def. Agarwal (CONN) 6-3, 6-1
3. Volkema (WIL) def. Sohlberg (CONN) 6-3, 7-5
4. Liu (WIL) def. Mulligan (CONN) 3-6, 7-6 (4), 10-6
5. Ling (WIL) def. Anderson (CONN) 6-2, 6-3
6. Marin (WIL) def. Winiecki (CONN) 6-0, 6-0