Elite Eight Preview

Amherst vs. Wash U

If Wash U has a chance to keep this match close, they will have to take at least two out of three doubles matches. Unfortunately for them, Amherst is just better than they are at doubles, and Coach Garner knows how to get his players pumped up for the big matches. There’s not much of a chance Wash U will sneak in a couple prosets before the Jeffs know what’s going on. In singles, Wash U is pretty strong at the top, but Amherst is so much deeper it’s silly. Given what happened against Vassar, I’ll take Chafetz and Rattenhuber to beat the Puttermans pretty easily. Kahan and Jung will be too much for Chang and Farah. If Wash U has a chance at a doubles point, it’s at 3 where Parizher has been playing extremely well. I like the Jeffs to squeak by the Bears in that match, giving them a 3-0 lead heading into singles.

After that, Amherst will win at 5 and 6 pretty quickly to decide the match. It’s a shame that things will probably shape up that way because I would love to see how the Putterman/Kahan match would play out, but I’m guessing the match will be decided by the time that happens. If Wash U does manage to win a couple doubles matches, I still don’t see any other position where they can really hope to get a win in singles, except perhaps #4 where Fritz has been streaky. Nonetheless, I’m taking Amherst in a 5-0 victory.

Emory vs. Johns Hopkins

Despite their highly touted recruits, Hopkins has been flying under the radar a bit this year, and because of that, this match has the potential for an upset. I don’t think it’s going to happen, but if Emory thinks they’re playing the same team they killed in March, they are sorely mistaken. Back then, Hopkins was only able to muster one singles victory, but I think they will win at least two matches if they get the chance this time. As everyone has already pointed out, the doubles matches will be the key. Hopkins hasn’t been very good, but they will need to find another gear in this match if they want to win. If they can win two doubles matches, I think they’ll win the match.

I don’t think that’s how it’s going to happen. I think Pottish will take over at #3 doubles to give them a quick 1-0 lead. The other two matches will be closer, but Emory’s #2 team has proven themselves to be one of the best in the country, and I think they will take an 8-6 victory. I also think Emory’s 1’s will have a little extra motivation to avenge their loss and do so in a 9-8 or 9-7 win. The singles matches should all be really close, but I expect Pottish to dispatch Hersh pretty quickly, giving Emory the 4-0 lead. Before Emory clinches, though, I think Hopkins will pick off two singles matches at the bottom of the lineup to keep it close before Ruderman comes up with the fifth point in two close sets. 5-2 Emory.

Williams vs. Bowdoin

When it comes to this match, I completely agree with d3tennis. It’s going to come down to whether or not Bowdoin plays like their “happy to be there.” In the last couple weeks, they’ve looked better than any team in the country outside of Amherst, and their dominant win over Trinity could be a springboard for the program into the future. If they can get to the Final Four, that will be icing on the cake (but they have to avoid thinking that way). Obviously, these teams have met before, and in each of the previous two meetings, the Cows have come away with the 2-1 lead after doubles. Despite being able to win four singles matches last time, I think Bowdoin needs to win at least two doubles matches to win this match. Fortunately for them, they are just about the only team that has shown they are capable of beating Williams at all three doubles positions.

Pena has been on an absolute tear lately, and I think he and King will start the match off right for Bowdoin by toppling Chow and Meyer. I don’t think Sun and Micheli will lose again, but I think Grindon and Lord will win their rubber match with Petrie and Shallcross to give the Polar Bears a 2-1 lead. After that, you have to take Sun at #2, but I think Pena will win this time at #1, making it 3-2 Bowdoin. I don’t think Chow will lose again for Williams, and that match will knot it up at 3-3. After that, I’m guessing the two teams will split 4 and 6 singles (I like Grindon for Bowdoin and Petrie for Williams), making the match come down to a three-setter at #3 singles. Lord has been up-and-down all season for Bowdoin, but I think he’ll be up in this match, and he’ll bring home a 5-4 victory for Bowdoin. Everything in my head is telling me to pick Williams, but I’ve picked against Bowdoin so many times this season (and been wrong so many times) that I just have to pick them in this match.

Kenyon vs. CMS

In my head, the personalities of these two teams are antitheses of each other. Kenyon is the blue-collar, hard working team from the Midwest, and CMS is the wildly talented, Holywood team from So. Cal. Don’t get me wrong, Kenyon is certainly talented, and CMS absolutely works hard. Those are just the teams’ reputations. As far as the actual match goes, it seems like it would be pretty easy to predict: Lane and Erani are on fire right now at #1, and I don’t think Griffin and Rosensteel are about to change that. The freshmen are streaky, and Williams and Razumovsky are definitely Kenyon’s best team. Kenyon’s #3 team is pretty weak, and Kotrappa and Wei play extremely fundamental doubles. Add that up, and CMS has a 2-1 lead heading into singles.

Kenyon has shown that they are capable of coming back from a 1-2 deficit against a good singles team (like they did at Indoors against Wash U), but CMS is playing too hot and confident for that to happen in this match. CMS is the clear favorite at #6, and that will probably be the first match off, giving CMS a 3-1 lead. The rest of the matches should be close. It’s tough to say where, if anywhere, Kenyon is favored. I think the experience of Burgin could lift him over Wood. Williams could also be favored over Erani, but the senior will be hard to beat in his last tournament. The battle of the freshmen at #4 could also go Kenyon’s way, but I think CMS is pretty clearly favored at #2 and #5 singles with Lane and Johnson. Johnson has picked up his play in the last couple weeks, and Lane probably should be playing #1 for the Stags. I think Lane wins in two close sets, and Johnson gets the clincher in three for the Stags before Kenyon gets a chance to win some of the other close singles matches. 5-2 CMS.

25 thoughts on “Elite Eight Preview

  1. Skippy & Dippy

    I think Kenyon pulls this one out in another barn burner. Am really impressed with how this group of guys has come together – their freshmen are clear rockstars. I also think Dan Greenberg will have his troops ready to go against Emory. I hear he may even bring out Mike Greenberg and give him another shot at Pottish.

  2. Guy

    The Kenyon/CMS match was a great battle. Don’t trash talk anybody. Kenyon has too feel lucky they won that before it got real close. Who can recover best for tomorrow will decide who wins Wash U and Kenyon.

  3. Anonymous

    Kenyon will take WashU 5-3
    Williams will eke it out over Emory on toughness alon 5-4

    Williams takes first national title in years over Kenyon College 5-3

  4. Proven wrong

    Really on point there, Rosensteel and griffin not about to stop erani and lane? They did. Kenyon’s 3 doubles team real weak? Not so much. And lane was the clear favorite? We see how that worked out

    1. Anonymous

      What is up with all the trash talk? You can’t be classy about a win? You don’t deserve to be on this site. Just keep it classy man.

  5. Lords win

    Kenyon beats Claremont 5-0. No one thought they had a chance.

  6. Anonymous

    CMS will probably have trouble with Kenyon because of the time zone change. It’s really hard to fly across the country and play a really really good team. If they can get through kenyon i would say all the others schools should be scared to play them as they will have adjusted to the time zone.

    1. d3tennis

      While the time zone change is an interesting theory, Williams didn’t seem to have too much trouble with it last year. And I can guarantee you that Amherst isn’t scared to play anyone.

      1. Anonymous

        Going west seems easier than going east, in my personal opinion.

    2. CMSfan

      I doubt the time change will be an issue.

  7. Anonymous

    WashU can return very very well … but still won’t win a match.

  8. Anonymous

    What 5 spots do you see Kenyon winning??? I don’t foresee any possible way that Kenyon could win this match without a huge choke by CMS

    1. 5 spots

      If they win 5 spots it will be 2 and 3 dubs. 4, 1 and either 3 or 5 singles. It’s a longshot

  9. Guy

    They did fly around on a private jet. Not anymore. Too bad, that would be sweet. The GLCA Tournament folded after Kenyon pulled out last year. Blame that one on Kenyon. They are in the Final 8 for the 4th time in 5 years. They must do something right.

  10. Anonymous

    I take Kenyon 5-4.

  11. H

    Emory should beat Hopkins fairly easily on Monday. Considering their last meetup was 7-2 and Emory went 5-1 in singles, even if they get down 2-1 or 3-0, I still see them winning. The Pottish, Goodwin, Biluhka combo will be too much for Hopkins. I predict a 5-0 or 5-1 win for Emory. What do people think will be match by match scores?

    1. lulu

      Who’s Biluhka?

  12. Disagree

    I find it funny that you call Kenyon a blue collar team, considering the fact that this is the team that used to travel around on a private jet. Also their 3 dubs is 12-2, while the results may not have been flashy, I wouldn’t go so far as to call them weak

    1. anonymous

      Haha I love that, did they really travel around on a private jet? That’s both pretty ridiculous and awesome. Personally I’ve never forgiven them for pulling out of GLCA last year and that sort of pampering certainly fits in with that sort of culture.

      Also yes there results aren’t flashy and they do compete hard while on court but really couldn’t agree more with the blog in that they are probably not favored at any position except 2 doubles which is still borderline

      1. Anonymous

        Your thoughts on the “pampering” taking place at Kenyon would probably carry more weight with these intelligent students if you had used the correct form of “their.” Just saying. Go Lords.

  13. Anonymous

    Amherst, CMS, Hopkins, and Bowdoin — It’s a new look this year!

    1. Anonymous

      nice job buddy

      1. Anonymous

        Thanks! I only missed by four.

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