#12 Trinity (TX) def. UT-Tyler 7-2
Looks like Trinity pulled Frey and DelaFuente after sweeping the doubles, so this match wasn’t really as close as the box score indicates. The only significant part of this match is that Straus still isn’t in the lineup for the Tigers. Bummer.
#21 Carnegie Mellon def. #16 Mary Washington 5-4
Carnegie Mellon completed its weekend by topping Mary Washington. CMU took two out of three doubles and then the odd numbered singles matches in straight sets to complete the “upset.” Carnegie Mellon basically consolidated their Pool C position that they gained by beating NCW, but look at D3tennis’ post for more discussion about that. Mary Washington can’t seem to win a match, even at home, and I just wonder what happened to them this season. Carnegie Mellon has another must-win match over soon-to-be-ranked Washington & Lee next weekend.
#29 Bates def. #4 Johns Hopkins 7-2
The hits just keep coming. I don’t think anyone outside of Lewiston, Maine saw this one coming. Hopkins may not have had their #1 singles player, but that doesn’t explain away a 7-2 loss. Bates played several teams close in California, but they have definitely upped their game since they got back to their own time zone. Unlike D3tennis, I don’t think they would be in Pool C if the tournament started today. D3 says that you would have to reward the recent win over a top 10 team, but Hopkins’ only big wins are against NCW (who just lost to CMU) and Wash U, so the Blue Jays are definitely on the lower end of the top 10 right now. I would say Bates’ one win over Hopkins isn’t necessarily better than Redlands’ wins over Bates, Mary Washington, and Swarthmore (or Pomona’s wins over GAC, Skidmore, CMU, Swarthmore, and Mary Washington). Regardless, if the Bobcats can beat Bowdoin, they belong in the tournament, and if they can’t, they don’t. Great win for Bates to establish themselves as a contender. Bad loss for a Hopkins team that was looking like a Final Four threat.
Congrats to Bates!!!!