CLAREMONT, Calif. -- Claremont-M-S took over the top ranking in Division III on Thursday, and then validated it with an 8-1 win against No. 3 Williams in a rematch of the 2013 NCAA championship match. CMS was dominant from the first doubles point played, earning its 10th sweep in 13 matches against Division III opponents.
Leading the way were the Stags' top pair and just named No. 1 team in the west region, juniors Joe Dorn and Warren Wood. Dorn and Wood were overpowering in an 8-0 win that put CMS up 1-0 early. Playing up at the No. 2 position for the second consecutive dual match, sophomore Skyler Butts and senior Neel Kotrappa were 8-3 winners for the pair's 12th win in 13 matches this spring. Completing the doubles sweep were the Stags' No. 3 team of Daniel Morkovine and Zhenya Pereverzin, who needed just one break at 4-5 to claim the win.
Playing without an injured Nik Marino, the Stags moved Butts, Morkovine and Pereverzin up one position in singles, and started sophomore Lestter Yeh at No. 6. Despite winning five of six first sets, Williams struck first in singles, earning their ony point of the evening at the top position, where Wood lost his first match of the spring against D3 competition. Butts continued his commanding play at the No. 3 spot with a 6-0, 6-3 win to put CMS up 4-1 in matches. Senior captain Pereverzin earned an unorthodox three-set clinching win at No. 5, while Morkovine followed closely in similar fashion. After a close first set that saw several service breaks, Yeh raised his game to win in two, putting the Stags up 7-1. Captain Dorn earned CMS' final victory of the night, with a grinding 7-5, 6-7(2), (10-7) win at No. 2 singles, which had him winning seven of the last eight points in the deciding match tie-breaker.
