CLAREMONT, Calif. -- In the semifinals of the NCAA Division III Men’s Tennis Championships, top-ranked Claremont-M-S fought its way to a 5-2 victory against Middlebury on May 20 at the Biszantz Family Tennis Center. Middlebury ends its season with a 21-4 record while CMS improves to 30-1 on the season and advances to the finals for the second consecutive year where it will face Amherst on May 21 at 2 p.m. ET at Biszantz Family Tennis Center.
MC struck first as Alex Johnston and Andrew Lebovitz defeated Joe Dorn and Warren Wood of CMS 8-5 in No. 1 doubles. However, CMS countered quickly as they scored the next two points of the match. CMS scored their first point as Skyler Butts and Neel Kotrappa defeated Brantner Jones and Palmer Campbell of MC 9-7 in No. 2 doubles. Nik Marino and Zhenya Pereverzin of CMS then defeated Peter Heidrich and Ari Smolyar of MC in No. 3 doubles 9-7 to give CMS its second consecutive point of the match.MC started off singles play with a win in No. 1 singles as Alex Johnston defeated Warren Wood 6-3, 6-4. From here CMS took control of the match as Nik Marino defeated Palmer Campbell of MC 6-3, 1-6, 6-2 in No. 3 singles. Next Skyler Butts of CMS defeated Ari Smolyar of MC 1-6, 7-5, 7-5 in No. 4 singles to give CMS their fourth point of the match. CMS scored its fifth and final point as Zhenya Pereverzin defeated Jackson Frons of MC 7-5, 4-6, 7-6 (7-2) in No. 6 singles
