NESCACs: 1st Round Preview

#4 Wesleyan vs #5 Tufts, Friday at 2 p.m.

It's not the size that counts, it's how you use it
It’s not the size that counts, it’s how you use it.

What’s at stake: As with any conference tournament, there will be a lot on the line in every single one of the matches played this weekend. Both Wesleyan and Tufts have one of, if not their best years in program history. I’m not sure either one of these teams has ever made the semifinals of this tournament. I also believe that Wesleyan has an outside shot at a Pool-C bid. If the Cards beat Tufts, and then upset Midd (remember it was only 5-4 last time), then I think Wesleyan will have an argument to earn an at-large bid. It might not be a strong enough argument, but it will certainly be an argument nonetheless. Wesleyan also has Chen and Liu currently in the NCAA’s ranking of the NE’s top-8. Chen is a lock for NCAAs, but I believe Liu’s hold on the 8th spot to be tenuous at best. Tufts doesn’t have any individual glory to play for, and will almost certainly need to win the tournament to make NCAAs, but in a year where the team has beaten both Amherst and Bowdoin, would it really be that shocking to see the Jumbos pull off another upset?

Doubles: When these teams played back in the beginning of April, Wesleyan absolutely cruised through the doubles, winning all three matches, with no score being closer than 8-4. Tufts’ doubles has been up and down since then, but I’d hope that they’d get up for this match. Now that Gupte is back and playing better tennis, I believe he and Cary will have the best chance to put a Tufts point on the board. Liu/Chen have been Wesleyan’s best doubles team, and Rudovsky/Samson have been pretty darn good as well. Brint/Lyon have been struggling recently, so I’ll take Tufts at #1 dubs and Wes at #2 and #3. Cards take a 2-1 lead heading into singles. Remember that NESCACs are played to decision, so if Wes does get the sweep this match could be over faster than you can say Telkedzhiev.

#1) Jay Glickman (Tufts) vs Steven Chen (Wesleyan). While Glickman is in the running for the most improved player in the region, there is only one man who would dare give him the raspberry. Ok, there might be more than one. This match is Chen’s to lose. Wesleyan 6-4, 6-2. 

#2) Rohan Gupte (Tufts) vs Michael Liu (Wesleyan). I expect a closer score this time than the straight set drubbing Liu dealt Gupte last time. There’s also a lot on the line for Liu in terms of an individual bid to NCAAs. I think he’ll grind for long enough that this match won’t finish. Wesleyan leads 7-6, 2-3.

#3) Zain Ali (Tufts) vs Tiago Eusebio (Wesleyan). Both these guys are very difficult to pick against, so I don’t think that I will. While Eusebio can play quick matches, that’s not Ali’s style. Tufts leads, 6-4, 4-3

#4) Nick Cary (Tufts) vs Joachim Samson (Wesleyan). Cary is another player who I’ve been impressed with so far this year, but taking him over Samson would be quite the upset. Lots of power in this matchup, plus you may not know this, but Cary is actually Samson’s father’s brother’s nephew’s cousin’s former roommate. Wesleyan, 6-1, 6-3. 

#5) Rob Jacobson (Tufts) vs Cam Daniels (Wesleyan). Interesting matchup here. Daniels has been very good since entering the lineup, but Jacobson has been one of Tufts’ most consistent point producers all season long. This seems like yet another match destined not to finish. Tufts leads, 7-5, 1-3.

#6) Danny Coran (Tufts) vs Jake Roberts (Wesleyan). I’m going to pick against type here. I believe that Roberts has turned a corner, and this would be a great time to prove it. When he’s on, he should be as good as any #6 in the country, and while Coran is one of the better 6’s, my gut tells me that we’re going to see some vintage Roberts. Wesleyan, 6-3, 6-2. 

MATCH PREDICTION: My total score comes out to a 5-1 Wesleyan win. I’m erring on the side of caution here, because I believe Wesleyan has a better chance to sweep Tufts in dubs than they do of going down 2-1.

#3 Williams vs #6 Amherst, Friday at 4:30 p.m.

So we meet again for the first time for the last time
So we meet again for the first time for the last time. Wait? Yeah.

What’s at stake: For Williams, everything. The Ephs have to win this match in order to keep their Pool-C hopes alive, and give themselves another shot at a signature win (Bowdoin in the semifinals would certainly qualify. For Amherst, one last ride into the sun. This team was supposed to have title aspirations, and instead they limped to their lowest conference finish in recent memory. They are chalk-full of seniors with NCAA title experience, and if they can’t make NCAAs then I’m sure they’d take a tiny bit of satisfaction in knowing that they knocked their rival out of NCAA contention. Plus, if Amherst beats Williams, who knows what will happen from here on out.

Doubles: Last weekend Williams took a 2-1 lead with none of the matches being closer than 8-5. The one thing that Solimano has done well all year is doubles, and I think he and Revzin get the win to inch forward towards locking up a spot at NCAAs. Williams’ #2 team has been its best team all year long, while Amherst’s #2 team has struggled, so that matchup swings in favor of the Ephs, which leaves us with #3. If Zykov is back and playing doubles, then whatever #3 team Amherst throws out will be significantly stronger than before. If I were Coach Doebler, I would consider playing Zykov at #3 with somebody like Fife, and trying to steal the 3rd doubles point. For whatever reason, I still believe that Herst has some fight in them, and I’ll take them to a 2-1 doubles lead with a win at #3 dubs as well.

#1) Anton Zykov/Michael Solimano (Amherst) vs Jose Raventos (Williams). If it’s Zykov, this becomes intriguing. Normally Anton would be favored, but who knows how close to 100% he’ll be. If it’s Solimano, advantage Williams. I’m going to operate under the assumption that Zykov plays because that’s what my gut says. However, I think a fully healthy Raventos will turn this into a battle. I’ve been going back and forth all day, so my solution is to leave this one unfinished. Williams leads, 3-6, 6-4, 3-2. 

#2) Michael Solimano/Zach Bessette (Amherst) vs Rohan Shastri/Brian Grodecki (Williams). If Shastri is back, then I think the edge goes to Williams here no matter who his opponent is. We just saw Bessette beat Grodecki in 3-sets last weekend, but I’m hoping we get that matchup at #3 instead. Williams, 7-6, 6-4. 

#3) Zach Bessette/Aaron Revzin (Amherst) vs Brian Grodecki/Alex Schidlovsky (Williams). Of the four matchups, the best for Williams is Grodecki vs. Revzin, but I believe that is unlikely to happen. Grodecki has beaten Revzin before, and I think Coach Doebler might move Fife up to get another shot at the Revzin/Schidlovsky matchup that went so well for Herst last time. Amherst, 6-4, 3-6, 6-3. 

#4) Aaron Revzin/Ben Fife (Amherst) vs Alex Schidlovsky/Sachin Raghavan (Williams). If we get another Revzin vs Schidlovsky matchup, I think this one could be over quickly. Raghavan is more of a grinder, as is Fife, but the advantage still lies with Amherst. Amherst, 6-2, 6-3.

#5) Ben Fife/Jesse Levitin/Andrew Yaraghi (Amherst) vs Sachin Raghavan/Deepak Indrakanti (Williams). Good grief these potential matchups get confusing. Indrakanti beat Levitin to clinch the match last time, and I like Deepak to win wherever he plays. A matchup of Raghavan vs. Fife would be the most intriguing, as Fife won the last matchup 6-4 in the third set. I think he might exact his revenge. Amherst, 6-4, 7-6.

#6) Jesse Levitin/Andre Yaraghi/Jon Heidenberg (Amherst) vs Deepak Indrakanti/Howard Weiss/Jordan Sadowsky (Williams). When you get down to 9 hypothetical matchups, you know something is wrong. If Shastri plays then this is Indrakanti’s domain, and I think he will protect it. Williams, 5-7, 6-2, 6-1.

MATCH PREDICTION: All personnel proceed to escape pods. Close down the circus. Evacuate the zoo. The self-destruct mechanism has been activated. Abandon ship. Apparently I’m picking Amherst to upset Williams, 5-3. This would be a serious blow to NE fans across the country, region, blogoshpere, as it would mean that either Amherst or the 4/5 matchup winner would need to win the whole tournament to give the NE a good chance at 2 Pool-C teams. Oh well, never underestimate the power of the schwartz.

 

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