During another busy weekend with three highly competitive
road matches, our group made another jump in level. We were able to win all
three matches including triumphs over Trinity (CT), a 7-2 victory over Emory
(ranked #1 nationally), and a hard fought 5-4 victory over Wesleyan (ranked #13
nationally). An overall takeaway from our weekend is that we are not afraid of
anyone and that we can play just as well outside on the road as we can indoors
at home when we focus on executing our respective individual game plans to the
best of our ability. Similar to the preceding weekend, our strong doubles play
set the tone going 8-1 across the three matches.
Weekend Highlights
A definite highlight of the weekend was another indication
of the depth of the Panther roster. Notching a 6-3 victory over Trinity (CT)
was a solid win, and provided a great opportunity for many non-regular lineup
players to compete for a point for Middlebury.
Earning huge victories in a gritty match in front of a loud home crowd,
Alex Vanezis, Adam Guo, and Aleks Samets all posted straight set victories to
clinch the match for the Panthers.
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| Brach '20, lining up a backhand! |
The next monster highlight for the Panthers were all three
doubles teams playing some nearly flawless tennis in relatively cold and windy
outdoor conditions against the #1 ranked team in the country. We won 8-1, 8-1,
and 8-3 at #1-3 doubles respectively against Emory. Our strong starts across
the board and ability to keep the pedal to the metal to get all three matches
across the finish line was a truly impressive feat against such a talented
team. Historically, strong doubles have always been a theme of the most
successful Panthers tennis teams and we are hoping to keep up our strong effort
in this regard! MIDD!
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| de Quant '18 showing off his volley skills. The Panthers are crushing it at the net these days! |
Moving on to singles against Emory, who boasts one of the deepest
singles lineups in the country from top to bottom, the Panthers again showed
they are a force to be reckoned with. Lubomir Cuba, Noah Farrell, Will de
Quant, and Kyle Schlanger (sometimes known as the big 4), locked into their
matches from the get go and all went on to win in straight sets at #1-4 singles
providing the Panthers with a 7-0 lead. Both Nate Eazor and Andre Xiao were
forced to play match tiebreaks in lieu of a third set for their matches, and
even though they did not come out on top, they demonstrated that they are
capable of competing neck and neck with the best team in the county at their
respective spots without a doubt!
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| Farell '19 icing down after his singles victory over Emory. van der Geest '18 and Sutton '19 also looking sharp! |
It is hard not to feel good after beating the #1 team in the
country, but the Panthers did not have much time to celebrate or sit on their
laurels. The very next day we traveled to Middletown, CT to compete against an
underrated Wesleyan team who has recently been playing some very impressive
tennis. We knew going into this match that it was not going to be easy.
Again, doubles set the table for our group. Cuba/Schlanger
and Farrell/de Quant continued their winning ways both winning by scores of 8-6
against teams that brought an incredible amount of energy on their home courts
and that had a tough crowd behind them, at times chirping the Panther players.
It was a fun atmosphere to compete in, and we know that fighting through this
type of competition is exactly what we need to help us feel prepared for
postseason play. At #3 doubles, van der Geest and Martin were not able to
capitalize on their hot start and lost their hard fought proset in a
tiebreaker, leaving the Panthers with a 2-1 lead heading into singles.
From here, the Panther players again competed like bosses
from the get go, as Will de Quant, Kyle Schlanger, and Nate Eazor all beasted
their ways to straight set victories at #3-5 singles to give the Panthers a 5-1
lead and clinch the match. With a bit less on the line, the Panthers dropped
two match tiebreakers in lieu of a third set at #1 and #2 singles and also a
full three setter at #6 singles. With a final result of 5-4, the Panthers
earned another victory, but also were reminded how important it is that we
continue to improve, compete, and dig in at every spot in the lineup for us to
continue our successful march toward postseason play.
See the full match recaps here:
Saturday: http://athletics.middlebury.edu/sports/mten/2017-18/releases/20180421v9w62z
Sunday: http://athletics.middlebury.edu/sports/mten/2017-18/releases/20180422rvxquc
Up next our last regular season match at home on Sunday! Our
potential postseason schedule is also listed below.
Date Time Opponent Location
4/29 1pm Amherst Middlebury, VT
5/4-5/6 TBD NESCAC Tournament Amherst, MA
5/11-5/13 TBD NCAA
Rounds 1-3 TBD
5/21-5/23 TBD NCAA
Final Rounds Claremont, CA
5/24-5/26 TBD NCAA Individuals Claremont, CA
Lastly,
we want to be sure to again thank all of our Middlebury Tennis Family for all
they do to support our group. We are so fortunate to have you all cheering us
on. As always, a very special thank you
to all the current Midd tennis parents who not only cheered us on but as
ensured we are one of the best fed teams anywhere!
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| Fun team dinner host by the Farrells (thank you!) to celebrate our wins over Trinity (CT) and Emory. |
Go Midd!
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