First things first, what a weekend we just had! Saturday afternoon on twitter was intense, following all the matches between my teams, most notably Wheaton vs Wabash and Vassar vs Rochester. I knew Wheaton and Wabash would be close, and as the match progressed it was clear it was going to come down to the wire, but a third set to decide everything is exciting no matter how you get there. Vassar and Rochester took probably as different a path as possible, with the Yellowjackets sweeping doubles and winning in straight sets at #5 to grab total control. I was surprised they got out to such a commanding lead, because like I said in my preview, Vassar’s indoor courts can be very tough for visitors. As you know but now, Vassar came all the way back, winning four three setters, including the clincher by Alexander Luckmann at #6. If you had told me before the match that Vassar was going to win, I would probably have said that their indoor courts played a major role, but it’s hard to say that was really the case, considering how in control Rochester was. Props to the Brewers for the comeback and providing me some excitement on my Saturday afternoon.
Rounding out the third set clinchers at 4-4 this weekend was RPI over Rochester on Sunday, another match I did not anticipate being so close. I was surprised to see the Yellowjackets keep it as tight as they did after such a short turnaround, but RPI was without Tristan Wise, one of their most experienced mid-lineup starters. He’s still on the roster so my guess is it’s an injury, and for RPI’s sake hopefully not one that will cost him too much time. The swing match here was definitely #2 doubles, where Rochester served for the match at 7-6 before losing three games in a row, giving RPI a 2-1 lead going into singles. There were plenty of opportunities for both teams to win this one in singles, but in the end it was sophomore Suryansh Patel who clinched 6-4 in the third set for RPI. Spare a thought for Rochester, losing twice in matches that were tied 4-4 and went past 4-4 in the third set of the deciding match. That’s a rough weekend.
A few other thoughts from last weekend’s action:
- Brady Anderson (def. Abban (Carthage) 6-3, 6-4) keeps getting better. That’s a scary thought for the rest of the region.
- Wheaton and Carthage, who will be battling for the CCIW this year, are very similar teams. Strong at 1-3, weak at 4-6. Carthage won last year, but early results suggest it’s Wheaton’s time.
- NYU absolutely blitzed Haverford at 1-3 singles on their way to a 6-3 win. Same story as usual for NYU—if they can figure it out in doubles, they can be tough. Unfortunately for them, moving up in the UAA from 7th will be tough with Case and Brandeis both significantly better than them.
This week, we’ve got several interesting matchups, including a few teams on spring break and another one of my teams making their debut. I couldn’t be happier about it, because it’s a pretty futile exercise trying to do the power rankings for 40 teams so early in the season. I have no doubt my 30-40 will look completely different just about every week, though part of that is because there’s plenty of parity in that area. Anyway, the matches:
Denison vs Hope
I’m including this match in my preview section thanks to Hope’s 5-4 win over Carthage and the fact that Denison hasn’t done anything this spring so far. The Big Red’s only D3 result was a drubbing against Chicago, and while they should be okay against Hope, I could see the Flying Dutchmen keeping it somewhat competitive. This will be a good litmus test as to where Denison is this year and how much of a shot they have the next day against Kalamazoo.
NYU vs Skidmore
A few years ago, NYU came out of nowhere to shock the Thoroughbreds and enter the national rankings right around the time the ITA started ranking 40 teams in response to the #BlackHole. These days, both teams have dropped off from years past, though Skidmore still maintains the higher ranking and better overall potential. This one could get very interesting, though. Kai-Yuen Leung will win at #1, but at #2 Umberto Setter for NYU beat Steven Koulouris this fall, and I’d take NYU’s big hitting Matt DeMichel over Lucas Pickering at #3. 4-6 are total toss ups, with a lot of unproven freshman and sophomores filling out the lineups for both teams. I have to give the edge to Skidmore in doubles, and I actually wouldn’t be shocked to see the Thoroughbreds sweep doubles and then coast to victory 6-3 or 5-4. If NYU can win at least one doubles match, they will make this one very close, and if they can somehow take a lead, then sound the alarm because Skidmore will be on major Upset Alert. When all is said and done though, I like Skidmore to come away with a 5-4 win.
Haverford vs TCNJ
I really debated whether or not to put TCNJ in my power rankings, eventually deciding to leave them out for now until they prove they deserve it. This match will be an excellent opportunity to do just that. Last year, the Lions rode a dominating doubles sweep with 8-1, 8-3, and 8-4 scores to a 6-3 win, with all six singles matches being tight. I don’t think another doubles sweep is likely for either team, leaving this one to likely come down to some three set battles in singles. I don’t have a lot to go on here, and maybe RegAS has a different idea, but I think TCNJ wins two doubles matches and four singles matches for a 6-3 win, making all the bloggers (myself included) who ranked Haverford but not them look foolish.
Denison vs Kzoo
Like I said earlier, Denison hasn’t done much of anything this spring, whereas Kalamazoo has had perhaps the best start of any team in the country, most notably taking out Kenyon. This is a big match to really gauge where the Big Red are and whether they are a legit NCAC title contender this year. Doubles and depth are going to be key for Denison all year long, and this match is no different. I think Kzoo is heavily favored at 1-2 singles, so Denison’s best shot will be to take two doubles matches and 3 of 4 at 3-6 singles. That’s a tough ask. My guess? Kalamazoo keeps on rolling with a 6-3 victory.
Vassar vs TCNJ
After their big win and subsequent request for some previews, I’m happy to add Vassar into the mix for my match previews. Seriously, if you want me to write about your team, don’t hesitate to let me know. We’re writing for you, the readers, and I have no problem giving some coverage to the “little guys” of D3 tennis. Anyway, the bad news for Vassar is that they have to leave their slick indoor courts to head down to New Jersey. Last time they left home, they were crushed 9-0 by Skidmore. While TCNJ doesn’t pose quite the same threat, the Lions are going to be big favorites in this one. Obviously Vassar can’t afford to get swept in doubles again, and realistically they will need at least a 2-1 lead to keep it close, but even then, I don’t think they have the firepower to go toe to toe in singles. I give the edge to Nick Litsky at #1 against Mitchell Sanders, but after that, I don’t see any spot where I feel confident in Vassar. Last season, the Brewers were competitive in mid lineup singles, winning at #4 and #5, but the graduations of Daniel Cooper and Evan Udine will make that a tough task to repeat. Freshmen Allen Sokolov and Jeremy Auh have both stepped in to fortify the lineup, but I think the experience of TCNJ will be too much, and they’ll take this match 7-2.
Coe vs Wheaton
This will be the biggest match for both teams on their spring break schedules, marking a rematch of Coe’s 6-3 win last year. Folks are very high on Wheaton this year, partially on account of a close 5-4 loss to Kenyon, but it’s important to remember they were also crushed 9-0 against Kalamazoo. That’s not to say they’re not for real, but only to keep things in perspective. My take is that Wheaton is knocking on the door of the top-40, but isn’t quite there yet. A win over Coe, however, and I think they rightfully break through. Is it going to happen, though? Well, my guess is not this week. Wheaton’s top three will be neutralized somewhat, especially at #1, though Ancona is certainly capable of beating Anderson. Dane Paulsen and Matt Steiner have been great for Wheaton at #2 and #3, and assuming they both win, #1 becomes huge, as I give Coe a major edge at 4-6. Doubles wise, it’s a similar story. Wheaton’s best shot comes at #1, #2 should be close, and I see Coe taking #3. So in summation, Wheaton’s best shot to win is by taking 1-2 doubles and 1-3 singles. Possible? Sure. But having such a narrow path to victory is never a good place to go into a match. I said above that Wheaton and Carthage are pretty similar. Well, Coe just beat Carthage 8-1, so I’m going to take the Kohawks here as well, this one a 6-3 final.
Coe vs Rhodes
I don’t know much about Rhodes besides the fact that their coach is former Denison great Tyler Cempre, but D3ASouth included them in his power rankings, and they’ve put together some solid recruiting classes recently. They’re also 7-0 this spring with no match closer than 7-2. I honestly don’t know anything about any of the teams they’ve played, though, so I really have little to go on here. Good ol’ UTR has Coe at a Power 6 of 68 compared to 65 to Rhodes, which is about what my gut was telling me anyway. I’ll take Coe 6-3, for what it’s worth (not much).
Wheaton vs Rhodes
I was surprised that Wheaton’s Power 6 is down at 62, but I guess that really does reflect their lack of depth. Given Rhodes has a three point edge, I feel compelled to take the Lynx. Rhodes hasn’t lost a match at 2-5 singles or 2-3 doubles all year, so assuming their solid mid-lineup play continues, it won’t matter if Wheaton has the edge higher in the lineup. I’m taking Rhodes by a 6-3 final.