NE Saturday Preview

Who’s up for some late night reading? It’s far too late on Friday night, but I wanted to get this preview out for our West Coast fans (so many West Coast fans read the NE Weekend Previews, don’t even kid yourself) and Saturday morning readers. This is the first of two NE Weekend Previews. This first preview will take a look at Saturday’s big matches, and tomorrow’s post will preview all of Sunday’s matches. There are more matches on Sunday, but tomorrow’s matches are really damn important. First up, we have the rivalry to end all rivalries, then we have the other two perennial contenders in a Pool-C matchup for the ages. Combined, we have the Saturday that I have had circled on my calendar since the beginning of the spring. It’s already almost 2am, so for the love of God, please no more intro.

Saturday at 1pm, Amherst @ Williams: This matchup has all of the name glitz and glamour that a matchup between DIII’s past two National Champions should. That being said, I just don’t see that match being all that close. Amherst has simply looked like a much stronger team than the Ephs this year, and I expect them to take down their arch-rivals. That being said, Williams is at home, they badly need a big win to get them over the Pool-C hump, and you know they’ll bring every ounce of energy tomorrow. Let’s get to the nitty gritty stuff.

#1 Doubles: Revzin/Solimano vs Schidlovksy/Sadowsky. The Eph pair is coming off a nice weekend with wins over Wesleyan and Conn, but the Jeffs #1 team is on a different level. Amherst, 8-6.

#2 Doubles: Yaraghi/Zykov vs. Raventos/Shastri. A match that the Ephs will need to win if they are going to have any shot at taking down the defending champs. Raventos and Shastri have the ability to turn it on, but this #2 team of Yaraghi and Zykov have proven to be more than formidable since Coach Doebler made the switch. Amherst, 8-5.

#3 Doubles: Astrachan/Grodecki vs. Scheiner/Einbinder. Closer match than I originally thought. I love both of Amherst’s top two teams, but this new team at #3 is by far their weakest point. That being said, the weakest Amherst doubles team might still be stronger than a bunch of schools’ #1 team. Amherst, 8-6. 

#1 Singles: Yaraghi vs. Raventos. Slight advantage to Amherst. Andrew has the game to wear down Raventos, and that’s exactly what I see happening here. This is another spot where Amherst is slightly vulnerable (if only slightly), and Williams MUST take advantage at all of Amherst’s vulnerable spots if they are to pull off the upset. Yaraghi, 7-5, 6-3. 

#2 Singles: Solimano vs. Schidlovsky. Advantage Amherst. Solimano was taken to a super by Bragg (Bowdoin) last weekend, but Schidlovsky has been more than inconsistent so far this spring. Gimme the serve and volley. Solimano, 6-3, 6-2. 

#3 Singles: Zykov vs. Shastri. Slight advantage to Amherst. Best matchup of the day right here. Shastri has been the Ephs’ top performer so far this year, but Zykov will probably be the best #3 that he has played yet in 2015. Anton just beat Wolfe (Bowdoin) 1&1, and Wolfe has been as close to a lock as any other NE #3. Shastri is coming off wins over Palmer Campbell (Midd) and Jake Roberts (Wesleyan) and will need to be at his best to take down Zykov. Zykov, 6-4, 6-7(2), 10-6. 

#4 Singles: Revzin vs. Harron. Advantage Amherst. At the beginning of the season, I would have said this was a straight set win for the Ephs. Instead, I can’t pick against the Jeffs. Rev-O has been magnificent this year, while Harron’s face is currently the picture under the dictionary definition of sophomore slump. I keep expecting him to turn it around, and I’m sure he will at some point, but I can’t pick him until he does. Revzin, 6-4, 6-4. 

#5 Singles: Rodriguez vs. Grodecki. Slight advantage to Amherst. Sean Rodriguez is a guy who was not in Herst’s starting lineup at the beginning of the season, but has come on quite strong of late. Meanwhile, Grodecki has also been playing some very good tennis recently, and seems to have firmly entrenched himself into the starting lienup. This is another close spot, and that means that Williams must take it if they are to win the match. Grodecki, 1-6, 6-3, 10-7. 

#6 Singles: Arnaboldi vs. Raghavan. Slight advantage to Amherst. Is it just me, or does Amherst suddenly look very beatable at the bottom of their lineup? Baldy clinched a couple big matches in the fall, but hasn’t been nearly as clutch so far this spring. Like Grodecki, Raghavan has been playing good freshman tennis for Coach Greenberg, including a win over fellow freshman Cam Daniels (Wesleyan) last weekend. This one should be another good one. Raghavan, 6-3, 5-7, 10-4. 

Total up the scores and you have a 7-2 match that likely isn’t even as close as the score. If Amherst can jump out early in the doubles, I don’t think Williams will be able to pull themselves back. However, if Williams takes a doubles lead, with this rivalry, through everything you know out the window. Amherst def. Williams 7-2

 

Saturday at 2pm, Middlebury @ Bowdoin: Even though this match is not nearly as mouthwatering as it would have been if Bowdoin had beaten Bates or played Amherst tighter, there is still a TON riding on this match. If MIdd wins, they clinch a top-3 seed at NESCACs, and strengthen their already strong case for a high #1 seed. A Bowdoin win would mean the Polar Bears would be close to locking up the Pool-C bid. Both of these teams have talent crawling out their…well it’s crawling alright. It’s now closer to 3am than 2am, so let’s hop to it.

#1 Doubles: Heidrich/Campbell vs. Trinka/Tercek. I really don’t want to pick Midd to sweep dubs. I know they have played much better dubs than Bowdoin so far this year, but if this is going to be close at all, Bowdoin needs AT LEAST one dubs point. I’ll take the Polar Bears to get it here. Bowdoin, 8-5. 

#2 Doubles: Smolyar/Farrell vs. Roddy/Wolstencroft. Very interesting matchup here. This Midd team has been pretty nasty, and I like them here over the somewhat new Bowdoin pair. Midd, 8-5. 

#3 Doubles: Frost/De Quant vs. Savage/Wolfe or Bragg/Wolfe. Big question of the day is whetehr or not Chase Savage will be back for the Polar Bears. Savage has been close to untouchable this season, but we haven’t seen him since Bowdoin took down Hamilton. Either way, this should be Midd’s match to lose. Midd, 9-7. 

#1 SIngles: Ari Smolyar vs. Luke Trinka. Slight advantage Midd. Smolyar has been one of the best players in the country so far this year, but Trinka is another player hoping to make Individual NCAAs and has the talent to not only beat but run through anyone. Right now, Ari is playing the best tennis of his career, and should be picked to win in almost every match. Smolyar, 7-6(4), 6-3. 

#2 Singles: Noah Farrell vs. Noah Bragg. Slight advantage Bowdoin. Ah yes, the battle of the Noah Sr. vs. Noah Jr. Bragg won’t be ready to pass the Noah torch on just yet, and I say he takes down his junior name-twin. Bragg, 6-3, 5-7, 6-2. 

#3 Singles: Palmer Campbell vs. Kyle Wolfe. Advantage Midd. Sorry Wolfey, I’m taking PC to bounce back from his 3-set loss vs. Mosetick (another top-5 #3 in the country) and take down the Bowdoin freshman in straight sets. Campbell, 6-3, 6-4. 

#4 Singles: Jackson Frons vs. Chase Savage/Luke Tercek. PUSH! My oh my do the Polar Bears need young Master Savage back in their lineup. The Polar Bears are 7 deep this year, so they will survive without him, but I firmly do not believe that Bowdoin can beat a team like Midd without being at full health. Luckily for Bowdoin, if Savage is out, they’re not hurting too badly. Tercek has been excellent for the majority of this year, and he’ll have enough of a shot against Frons that I will take my Savage chances here. Bowdoin 6-4, 3-6, 7-5. 

#5 Singles: William De Quant vs. Luke Tercek/Kyle Wolstencroft/Gil Roddy. PUSH! Another tough battle here. De Quant has been nothing short of excellent so far. In fact, Young Wiiillllllllliiiiaaaaamm (how great is A Knight’s Tale?) hasn’t lost since the opening tournament of the fall. Of the above options, Tercek would present the most formidable challenge, but I think De Quant takes down Wolstencroft or Roddy without too much incident. De Quant, 7-6(4), 6-2. 

#6 Singles: Timo Van Der Geest/Allen Jackson/Courtney Mountifield vs. Kyle Wolstencroft/Gil Roddy. PUSH! So many possibilities, so little time left before I pass out. Van Der Geest got the nod at #6 for the Panthers after Coach Hansen gave both Mountifield and Jackson a shot at the lineup, and Timo responded beautifully with an easy straight set win over Raghavan (Williams). Bowdoin has started playing Wolstencroft in their singles lineup again, without amazing results. If Savage is back, I leave Wolstencroft to the doubles and play Roddy at #6. Tough to predict a matchup with 6 different combinations, but here goes. Midd, 6-2, 6-4. 

A quick tally yields us a final score of 5-4 Midd, the only exception being if Savage doesn’t play. Without their pasty junior, I don’t see Bowdoin taking more than 2, at most 3 points off of Midd. Midd def. Bowdoin 6-3 (with Savage). Midd def. Bowdoin 7-2 (without Savage). 

Check back tomorrow (or later today as the case may be) for a preview of Sunday’s NE action.

Time for bed. Like, you have no idea. Good night, errbody.

 

 

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