CLAREMONT, Calif. - The Claremont-Mudd-Scripps men's tennis team, fresh off winning the ITA Division III Indoor Championship last weekend, tested itself against Division I Bucknell and Division II Hawaii Pacific on Sunday at the Biszantz Family Tennis Center and passed both tests, defeating Bucknell 5-2 and Hawaii Pacific 4-3. 

With the wins, CMS now stands at 7-2 on the season, while Bucknell falls to 7-3 and Hawaii Pacific suffers its first loss and falls to 3-1. 

The Stags had to come from behind in the first match of the day, after Bucknell won the doubles point, and took the first point in singles for a 2-0 lead. Advik Mareedu got the Stags on the board with a key 7-5, 6-3 win at No. 1 singles, coming from behind to win the first set and then finishing off a straight-set win to remain undefeated on the year. 

Matthew Robinson knotted the score at 2-2 with a quick 6-3, 6-2 win at No. 3, but the final three courts all were three-set battles that went to hte Stags. Anirudh Gupta battled back after dropping the first set to dominate the second and third and give CMS a 3-2 lead with a 3-6, 6-1, 6-2 victory at No. 4. Rohan Yarlagadda then provided the clinch with a strong third set, winning 6-4, 3-6, 6-2. Josh Kim finished off the 5-2 victory with a comeback win at No. 5, taking it 2-6, 6-4, 6-3.

The nightcap saw CMS take a 1-0 lead after doubles, with Warren Pham and Robinson picking up a 6-1 win at No. 3, and Caleb Settles and Brandon Vu earned a 6-4 win at No. 2. Due to the threat of rain, doubles was only played until the clinch, and Kim and Mareedu ended leading 5-4 at No. 1 and trying to serve it out. 

Singles ones again proved to be dramatic, and Mareedu again gave CMS its first point with another tight battle, winning 6-1, 7-5 to put CMS ahead 2-0. After the Sharks got a point at No. 3 singles, Kim won a 6-2, 7-5 battle, responding after being up 5-2 in the second set and falling back even 5-5. 

Gupta then provided the clinch at No. 5 with a similar response, taking a 7-6, 7-5 win at No. 4, battling back after seeing three match points slip away up 5-3 in the second set, but regrouping to provide the win. Hawaii Pacific closed out with the final two points at No. 2 and No. 6 in three sets to make the final score 4-3. 

CMS will be back in action next Sunday for another doubleheader, this time against DIII opponents, as the Stags will face UC Santa Cruz at 10 a.m. and WashU at 4 p.m.