Bates Mini Spring Break Preview

Happy Monday, boys and girls. It’s that time of year again, the time of year when Bates makes its westward pilgrimage during its strangely scheduled “spring” break. The NESCAC’s first day of practice for spring sports is February 15, and yesterday, just four days into its season, Bates played its first match against Westmont in California. Here is the box score. The match was called due to rain, but Bates was playing a bit of a surprising lineup. Adam Schwartz was not only back in the lineup, but in a very tight match at #4, Feldman was in at 5, and at #6 Lil’ Yadav was the only Bobcat up a set. Neither Glover nor Kauppila (Bates’ freshmen who played highest during the fall) was in the singles lineup (both did play doubles), but the most surprising part of this lineup was the absence of Pat Ordway, who has been a starter for his first three years. He’s still on the Bates roster, so my guess is that he’s hurt or sick. All we have to go on at this point is one box score from a match against a non-DIII team,  but I would be very surprised if he were simply out of the lineup, especially the doubles.

As is their way over the past few years, the Bobcats will take on Pomona and CMS later this week. The match against Bates will be CMS’ 1st of the season, but that hasn’t hurt them in the past. Over the last five years, Bates has not gotten closer than 7-2 (three 7-2’s, one 8-1, one 9-0), and I’d be surprised if the Bobcats managed that feat this year. However, the Bates/PP matches have been a totally different story. Both teams have won two of the four matches over the past four years, the most recent of which was a 6-3 PP win. Considering PP fell to Whitman up in Walla Walla earlier this season, the Sagehens would be staring at the business end of a hissy-fit from D3West if they are upset by Bates as well. However, D3West’s mood swings aside, neither team’s season will be ruined after this match. PP plays Indoors, the Stag Hen, and at least eight other ranked teams besides that. Bates has its entire NESCAC schedule, Mary Wash, Hopkins, MIT and Brandeis. I’m not trying to downplay the importance of the match, but remember that when Bates beat PP in 2014, the Pizzeria went on to rattle off one of their best seasons in program history, while Bates lost to both NCW and Mary Wash.

Here’s my best guess at the matchups based off what we’ve seen so far, and some bad guesses at predictions. Making match-by-match predictions seems insane in February for something other than Indoors, but I’ve never been one for sanity.

#1 doubles: Rosen/Ellis (Bates) vs. Maassen/Simonides (PP). Swing match right from the start! This is probably both team’s strongest spot, and a couple of mellow guys paired with a couple of firecrackers. This one could get loud, and my guess is it’s a long match. PP 9-7.

#2 doubles: Quijano/Glover (Bates) vs. Kim/Yasgoor (PP). Yaz is defintely the best player on the court, but I’ve heard good things about this Bobcat doubles team. Another close match, and another match that barely goes the home team’s way. PP 8-6.

#3 doubles: Kauppila/Yadav/Schwartz/Ordway (Bates) vs. Gearou/Gearou (PP). Could be the weakest spot for both teams. I’m very surprised that neither Schwartz nor Ordway was in the doubles lineup yesterday against Westmont, if that changes, I think Bates is favored here. With that possibility, and an otherwise close match, I’m taking the Bobcats over team twinning. Bates 8-5.

#1 singles: Rosen (Bates, 12.77) vs. Yasgoor (PP, 12.28). Match of the day right here. Yaz came back from a 6-1 1st set against Jivkov (Whitman #2) to win in 3 sets, and Rosen was down a quick 6-0 set against Westmont, but I like Benjamin to dig out this tough match which is closer than the score. Bates 6-4, 6-3.

#2 singles: Ellis (Bates, 11.48) vs. Maassen (PP, 12.49). I’m not really sure if Yasgoor or Maassen will play #1, but I think that either one should be favored over Ellis. Maassen gets the better of the Bates senior. PP 6-1, 6-4.

#3 singles: Quijano (Bates, 11.00) vs. Bello (PP 11.31). Big match here with probably the biggest height discrepancy between any players. Bello has been struggling early in 2017, and it will take a big effort from the big man to overcome Josh’s game. Gimme the UTR upset. Bates 3-6, 6-3, 6-2. 

#4 singles: Schwartz (Bates, NL) vs. Kim (PP, 11.48). Schwartz must be playing well if he’s slotted in at #4, and the box score says he was in a dog fight yesterday against a very good Westmont team. While I hesitate to jump on the bandwagon this early, it would make for some excellent match drama. Bates 6-3, 7-6.

#5 singles: Feldman (Bates, 10.44) vs. Mandic (PP, 11.43). Feldman must have played a good 1st set against Westmont yesterday, but I think Mandic’s grinding style of play will be too much. PP 7-5, 6-2.

#6 singles: Yadav (Bates, 10.56) vs. J. Gearou (PP, 11.63). Well by my math I have #6 deciding the match. It’s almost as if I planned it that way. Yadav was rolling according to the Westmont box score, but I’m not sure he’s even the one that’s going to play on Tuesday. Although the edge in experience is slight, it is there, and sadly I’m taking it. PP 2-6, 6-3, 6-0

I’ve got 5-4 PP, and about six or seven matches that I’m very unsure about. It must be February! Check back tonight for our the kickoff to #IndoorsWeek, the highly-anticipated Draftkings event!