CLAREMONT, Calif. - The Claremont-Mudd-Scripps men's tennis team earned 6-0 and 6-2 wins in doubles and then picked up three straight-set wins in singles to earn a 4-0 win over East Texas Baptist in its first match of the NCAA Division III Championships on Friday at the Biszantz Family Tennis Center.
With the win, CMS moves to 31-1 on the year and will advance to tomorrow's regional final against No. 14 Sewanee, which defeated Colorado College 4-0 in its regional semifinal on Friday.
Advik Mareedu and
Caleb Settles won a 6-0 decision at No. 1 doubles, and
Anirudh Reddy and
Henry Wilson earned a 6-2 win at No. 3, with
Sibi Raja and
Josh Kim sitting at a match point at 5-2 at No. 2.
Amrith Kodumuri earned the first singles win by a 6-1, 6-0 final, and Raja followed with a 6-1, 6-1 win at No. 4. As Raja was shaking hands at the net,
Warren Pham finished off the match with a 6-1, 6-1 win at No. 2 for the clinch.
Mareedu was pushed at No. 1 singles by Sam Black, who led 5-4 in the first before Mareedu rallied to lead 7-5, 2-0 when his match was halted. Wilson was also up 6-3, 1-1 at No. 3, and Settles held a 6-2, 2-1 lead at No. 6.
A win tomorrow over Sewanee would get CMS through to the nationals in Chattanoga, Tennessee, where Sewanee is serving as the host. CMS has made nationals every season since falling in the regional finals to UC Santa Cruz in 2009.
