What uppp peeps. It was a good day for my time, as all UAA matches finished prior to 2PM, but not a good day for excitement on Twitter, as all UAA matches finished prior to 2PM. There were a bit of surprises along the way but mostly things went as expected. If you haven’t checked out the Ridiculously Dope UAA Preview, you should, because it’s more of an experience than an actual Preview. You can view that article here:
http://www.division3tennis.com/ridiculously-dope-uaa-preview-feat-reg-regnec-migos/
Anyways, there’s a lot to get to so let’s start with my quick recap of the matches before the writers get to the previews for tomorrow.
Recap
Emory def. Rochester, 9-0 – The only close match here was at #1 doubles, and the Spaulding/Rubinstein combo seemingly loves to mess around with my heart every time I get major confidence in them. Let’s chalk it up to first match rust.
Chicago def. NYU, 8-1 – Setter of NYU notched a big win over Chua in a super tiebreaker, but this match was over when Chicago swept the doubles portion with ease. All the other matches were not close in singles, and Chicago gets a nice little break before a big rematch tomorrow.
Wash U def. Brandeis – This was the most exciting match of the day, with Brandeis potentially taking a 2-1 lead against the Bears before losing a couple games at 7-7. This changed the way the match went, as Brandeis held tough in singles. Wash U was up 4-2 at a time with Bunis (DEIS) leading at #1 and two other splits. Imagine if that was 3-3?
CMU def. Case Western, 8-1 – This was the surprise of the day as CMU took their first doubles lead over a ranked team in a long time. To do it against Case Western was even more impressive and I don’t remember the last time they ever did that. Once the sweep happened, this one was all but wrapped up, because CMU is just stronger at certain points in the lineup. Case was able to take one match in a super breaker but lost four other matches in straights. Great effort from CMU and they need to continue this momentum for their two big matches coming up.
#1 Emory vs. #4 CMU
D3AS: You gotta love it when your two teams get to play each other and you don’t have any responsibilities for any of the other matches. That means I get to go all out for this match, even though I’ll probably get pulled into covering for someone in about 30 minutes. Anyways, these two teams played after CMU beat Case at Indoors, and the boxscore can be found here.
http://athletics.cmu.edu/sports/mten/2016-17/files/itaeum.htm
I believe this was the last time CMU took a lead into doubles outside of today’s match vs Case Western, so that bears noting. This was the first time Rozenvasser played in the spring season and this was really Emory’s first time seeing Spaulding and Josepher play in big singles matches as well. Prettyman was in the lineup (and he continues to be, just pulled last second) and that match was really the decider for the overall result. Both teams are coming off good performances today, with CMU really making a statement and sweeping doubles. It looks like Prettyman has taken Arora’s place in the doubles lineup and I would think that ends Levine/Arora’s potential for making nationals at this time. Anyways, we won’t talk individuals here and I think the best thing to do is go through a match by match preview.
#1 Doubles: Rubinstein/Spaulding (Emory) vs. Levine/Prettyman (CMU)
The insertion of Prettyman in the lineup gives CMU a better server at the top spot, but probably a weaker all around doubles game. Levine has been carrying this team all year and if this were indoors I’d probably give the edge to CMU. Right now, this is a tossup even though the Emory #1 team struggled just a tad today. If CMU is to pull the upset, they’re going to need two points from Levine. Don’t think it’s going to happen. Emory 9-7
#2 Doubles: Bouchet/Renke (EU) vs. Chen/Downing (CMU)
CMU played a balancing act today in doubles by taking out Gruber and Fojtasek after being down in the match, and won a clutch tiebreaker. I like the momentum that they have coming out of today and I think Chen realizes his game needs to step up against the other #3/Doubles Specialist duo. Bouchet and Renke haven’t exactly given me much confidence lately, so I will reluctantly pick CMU 8-5
#3 Doubles: Omsky/Jemison (EU) vs. Zheng/Rozenvasser (CMU)
What a star studded matchup between a ton of baseliners and David Omsky, who will be looking to clean up poaches at the net all match. The CMU team cannot come out flat in this one as they did today, and if they do they will put CMU in a huge hole that they won’t be able to work out of. I love that Zheng is a senior at the bottom and for some reason this CMU team seems like one of those teams that will have a big tournament. CMU 9-7
#1 Singles: Manji (EU) vs Levine (CMU)
These guys had a hell of a match at Indoors with Levine giving Manji his first DIII loss of the year, and this one should be another good one. I think Levine benefitted from the indoor play last go around and Manji should be in his element in the hot Orlando sun. Not to say Levine isn’t fit but hell, if I don’t take a senior in this match I’d basically be a hypocrite. Emory, 7-5, 7-6 (4).
#2 Singles: Jemison (EU) vs, Rozenvasser (CMU)
Another good one at Indoors where these two went blow for blow throughout the span of three sets. Rozenvasser then lost some gas later on in the match and Jemison took it to him. Will that happen again? Rozenvasser hasn’t necessarily been a great example of mental toughness this year and it’s hard to think he will on the biggest match of his young career. Emory, 6-4, 6-4
#3 Singles: Bouchet (EU) vs. Downing (CMU)
This should be way better than the Bouchet/Zheng match that happened at indoors and I really like Chaz slotted up here instead of at #4 vs James Spaulding. The top 3 are matches that CMU really has to win or at least challenge to keep the rest of the guys feeling like they can pull an upset. While Bouchet is probably the better player here, he has also had a few hiccups here and there this past season. CMU can pull the upset here if Downing comes up big. I predict they don’t. Emory 3-6, 6-4, 6-2
#4 Singles: Spaulding (EU) vs. Zheng (CMU)
Again, a better matchup for Zheng here vs Spaulding than against Bouchet, who basically blew him off the court. Zheng can go back and forth with Spaulding enough so that maybe Zheng pulls the upset in a potentially best UAA tournament. Give the senior his credit, he wins a lot of big matches. He played well today and will be looking forward to tomorrow. CMU 6-4. 7-5
#5 Singles: Josepher (EU) vs. Prettyman (CMU)
This whole “pull Prettyman from the lineup” thing has to be somewhat uncomrfortable for the freshman, but I do believe that he will be back tomorrow to get some revenge. Arora has been really toughing it out with the team but I think here is where you keep the freshman in and play with some fire. The last match was a battle – I think Prettyman learns from last time out and somehow wins this match. CMU 1-6, 6-2, 6-4
#6 Singles: Goodman (EU) vs. Kirkov (CMU)
Will it come down to a senior vs senior battle at #6 singles?! Who knows! Kirkov has been a great story this year and he will certainly pose Goodman a very tough challenge. However. Goodman seems to live in these types of moments and the lack of consistent singles play from the bottom of the lineup worries me just a little bit. This could go either way, but I’m going to go with the guy who’s been playing big matches all 4 years in this one. Emory, 6-3, 7-5.
If you’re keeping tabs at home, that means Emory takes out CMU 5-4. There are plenty of swing matches in this one and it starts with doubles. I think CMU almost has to win two doubles matches to reasonably take this one without a miracle effort, and I think Levine needs to win two matches in order to give them the victory as well. No pressure, kid.
#2 Wash U vs. #3 Chicago
D3MW: It’s déjà vu for me on this preview. I wrote a pretty extensive summary of what to expect when Wash U and Chicago met last week: http://www.division3tennis.com/easter-special-6-wash-u-vs-5-chicago/. Of course, as you all should remember, Wash U defeated Chicago at home in epic 5-4 fashion on Easter with Jeremy Bush providing heroics in a third set tiebreaker. I guess that means even though the season series is split at 1 a piece, the Bears are favored this time around, even if it’s by the slimmest of margins.
There are some key differences between tomorrow’s match and Easter’s, however. First, Wash U was at home last week. As I explained in that preview, the Bears are nearly unstoppable at home, now with a 117-5 record over the past 13 years. So, they won’t have the advantage on that front. Next, the teams are meeting for the first time outdoors this season and will have to deal with the sunny, humid Orlando conditions.
There are still no signs of Jason Haugen in singles and David Liu in either singles or doubles. Perhaps, Coach Follmer and Coach Tee have been resting their stars for the UAA semi, but I doubt it. While both players are instrumental to their respectives teams’ successes, I don’t think the coaches want to risk further injury. We shall see.
A big question mark for both the Bears and the Maroons has been the bottom of the singles lineup. Today, for the second time in a dual match this season, Konrad Kozlowski played #6 singles. For Chicago, Jonathan Li was featured at #6 for the third time this year. It’s no secret that both teams haven’t gotten the results they’d hoped for at 6, but considering how many talented players they have, there is always someone new in the rotation. A relatively inexperienced player will have to come up big tomorrow.
In each of their previous two meetings, Chicago has taken a 2-1 doubles lead. However, when you look at the scores of those matches, they could have gone any which way. I wouldn’t be surprised of any doubles outcomes.
Similarly, expect singles to be extremely tight. Last week, three matches went the distance, and there is a chance that the matchups at 1-4 singles are the same tomorrow.
Ultimately, I’m glad we get to witness Chicago and Wash U duke it out again. Hopefully, both teams qualify for NCAAs.
#5 Case Western vs. #8 Rochester
D3RegNEC: Rochester surprised me today by playing Emory very close at #1 doubles, but unfortunately they weren’t able to serve it out after leading 7-5, and then got absolutely crushed in singles, with no sets closer than 6-2. Against Case they should again be in the match at #1 doubles, but at the same time I could see them struggling to bounce back after today. If the energy isn’t there from the start, Case is going to pounce all over the Jackets and get out to big leads. Singles wise, Case is much deeper and should clinch pretty quickly, though Rochester very well may extend a few matches to three sets. I give them the best shot at #2 with Masaru Fujimaki and either #5 or #6 with Aaron Mevorach. Unfortunately Rochester’s #3 Andrew Nunno was pulled after doubles (assuming for injury, as he’s been hurt before this year) and if he’s out tomorrow that going to make things even tougher. Realistically, I don’t think this one is going to ever be in doubt, and Case will cruise to an 8-1 win.
#6 NYU vs. #7 Brandeis
D3RegNEC: A lot will be different this time as the Violets and Judges meet again after NYU’s 6-3 win last month. For one, Brandeis shouldn’t be missing any starters this time around. Also, conditions should be slower outdoors than on the indoor courts they faced off on last time around. Given these factors and the fact that Deis is trending upwards, I’m pretty confident they will come out on top here. Granoff and Arguello are favorites at #2 and #3, and Brandeis is also the stronger team down lower in the lineup. The only place I think NYU has any edge in singles is at #1, where despite Ryan Bunis being a very solid player, Umberto Setter is coming off a great win over Chua today and I expect him to keep it going. Doubles wise, neither team has been terribly consistent, but I think Brandeis comes out FIRED UP looking to send a message after last month, and rides a hot start to a 2-1 lead, though I also wouldn’t discount a sweep. Overall, I think Brandeis gets some emphatic revenge and sets up a 5th place showdown with Case, beating NYU 7-2.
D3Reg: All right, my section will be relatively quick because I want to leave work and begin my weekend. The Judges and the Violets played back in early March, where NYU took 2 of 3 doubles and 4 of 6 singles, actually pretty routinely, for the 6-3 win. The Judges had two guys missing including Ryan Bunis (#1) and David Aizenberg (#6), so they were not at full strength, but this was overall a great team win for NYU. This time around, Brandeis is at full strength, and playing much much better after a great win against MIT and a solid performance against Wash U. Arguello lost 1 and 2 to Umberto Setter in March, but he is now playing much better and is also playing at #3. NYU has had a good year but has regressed a little lately, barely beating Stevens (5-4) and not putting up much of a fight against Chicago except at #1 singles. I’ll take Brandeis 6-3, with wins at #1 and #3 doubles, plus #2, #3, #5, and #6 singles.
FIN
If I’m counting correctly, that’s three really big matches on the schedule for tomorrow’s UAA Tournament, including some big matches from other conferences (UMW vs CNU, anyone?) that should set tomorrow up nicely for a good Super Saturday. Both the semifinals should be pretty competitive with these teams battling to 5-4 matches earlier in the year (Wash U being last week). Look for some fireworks tomorrow as we at the Blog continue to enjoy what surely is a great tournament. ASouth, MW, Reg, and RegNEC OUT.