#24 Gustavus Adolphus def. #20 Whittier 5-4
Not much has happened in the last couple days, but I’m feeling a little obligated to post. From the write-up on the Whittier website, it sounds like this was one of the most dramatic matches of the year. Three three-setters, blown leads, saved match points, tiebreakers galore: I wish I could have been there. Matches like this are what makes team tennis fun. In the end, GAC came up with the clutch victory, and proved that their Indoors performance wasn’t a fluke. Whittier has to be thinking “What if?” Not only did they lose a close match without their #2 singles player, but they also took two of three doubles matches from one of the best doubles teams in the country and held at least one match point for the team victory. That’s pretty tough to swallow, and it will be interesting to see how they respond in their next big match against Redlands. They need Carregha back if they want to push Redlands, but their season is pretty much over regardless.
#12 Pomona-Pitzer def. #24 GAC 6-3
I don’t have the official box score of this match, but from Coach Belletto’s tweets, it looks like P-P won two of three doubles, then took 1-4 singles in straight sets to clinch a comfortable victory over the Golden Gusties. Obviously, this is a win the Hens needed to have, but it’s pretty impressive nonetheless. Right now, Pomona-Pitzer is winning as a team, not relying on any one position for points, but instead getting them from all over the lineup. I’m surprised that GAC hasn’t been able to take a doubles lead so far this trip, especially against Whittier, but I wouldn’t be too worried about that if I were them. As long as they take care of business in their conference, they will have an amazing opportunity to host a NCAA regional (with a potentially weak 1 seed in Whitman), and they’ve always played better doubles at home (as does pretty much everyone). I don’t give them much of a chance against Claremont on Friday, but they got the win they needed from this trip. The Gusties could find themselves in the top 20 if Whittier or Chicago get a big win for them.