It’s your girl ASW again and I’m back this fine Tuesday with our first 2020 Indoors QF preview. This is admittedly the least exciting of the quarterfinal match-ups and will be the least exciting of the previews, and to be honest it feels kind of bad to predict blow outs down the board, but we endure for our readers. I’d like to say I think Centre has a chance in this match but I’d be lying. I will be spicing up this preview by adding colors.
Who: #1 Seed/ #1 CMS vs #8 Seed/Unranked Centre College
When and Where: Friday Feb 28 at 1pm in Nicholasville, KY
Predicted Weather: AM snow showers with a high of 39F and a low of 21F
Trip Advisor’s #1 Rated Restaurant in Nicholasville, KY: Copper River Grill – 4.5 stars
Disclosures:
WestW: I’m going to assume CMS plays their “full strength” lineup, which likely won’t happen but it’s otherwise impossible to know who they play 3-6. I don’t know much about Centre’s team this year (sorry!) but I do know that there’s an enormous talent gap between these two squads. The Athenas just swept a pretty good team in Southwestern so the Colonels shouldn’t be at all discouraged if they don’t put a point on the board here. Easier said than done, I know. One of the (very few) perks of being a blogger 🙂
ASW: I made a few extrapolations regarding Centre’s lineup as well given the doubles teams have varied throughout the season so far, but I agree with WestW that ultimately it really won’t make a difference. CMS is heavily favored in every spot in the lineup, and unless a CMS player gets injured mid-match, Centre won’t get on the board. Centre has made their way to the national scene though so they should be proud of themselves for being in this tournament and playing against some of the best.
Match rundown:
#1 doubles: Cat Allen/Justine Leong (CMS) vs. Caroline Stallings/Hannah Doherty (CC)
WestW: Some pretty superb doubles from Allen/Leong so far this season, and they should be favored at the top spot all weekend long. This match is no exception. CMS 8-0
ASW: Allen and Leong are the reigning national champions. Enough said. As I said above, I’m not positive on these doubles teams from Centre but honestly it doesn’t matter. CMS 8-0
#2 doubles: Nicole Tan/Sarah Bahsoun (CMS) vs. Grace Headley/Katharine Sherman (CC)
WestW: Tan and Bahsoun are the national runner-ups, and a tall task for Centre’s two dubs tandem. With Tan focusing more on her doubles play this year it’s going to be even harder to beat them. CMS 8-1
ASW: While I’m writing this WestW hasn’t even entered the CMS team up above but again I don’t think it really matters. Coach Schwarz emphasizes doubles the way we here at The Blog emphasize snacks. CMS 8-0
#3 doubles: Caroline Cox/Crystal Juan (CMS) vs. Ella Rueff/Caroline Lancaster (CC)
WestW: CMS doubles is pretty fluid, so I don’t even know if this is their actual 3 dubs team. Either way, they should roll CMS 8-1
ASW: See above. CMS 8-1
#1 singles: Justine Leong (CMS) vs. Katharine Sherman (CC)
WestW: Leong’s probably had more indoor experience than the rest of the Athenas, but even without it her game is too good to be challenged here. CMS 6-0, 6-0
ASW: Sherman had a great freshman campaign in 2019, spending some time in the regional rankings. However, Leong has already shown us that she’s gunning to become a D3 great. I don’t see the CMS freshman giving up more than 1 game. CMS 6-0, 6-0
#2 singles: Catherine Allen (CMS) vs. Caroline Stallings (CC)
WestW: I’m still bummed we never got to see Allen vs. Ysa finish last year. Gimme Cat in under an hour. CMS 6-0, 6-0
ASW: Centre Junior Stallings will also have her work cut out for her against Allen, who is not only Top 5 in the nation but also a senior and one of the most fierce competitors out there. CMS 6-1, 6-0
#3 singles: Rebecca Berger (CMS) vs. Hannah Doherty (CC)
WestW: This match preview is making me too hungry, so I’m gonna cut down on the calories and swap breadsticks for the bagels CMS 6-1, 6-1
ASW: There’s not a lot of ways to say the same thing over and over again, but CMS is once again the heavy favorite in this match. CMS 6-1, 6-0
#4 singles: Sydney Lee (CMS) vs. Laney Hill (CC)
WestW: Lee just picked up a big win over Southwestern’s Bowers and I can’t imagine her having trouble here. Plus, she’s gonna want to avenge last year’s Indoors loss to EU’s Cartledge and I think she comes out swingin this weekend. CMS 6-0, 6-1
ASW: Hill is one of Centre’s freshmen this year and I think it’s pretty cool that she gets to start her college spring tennis experience off with an experience like Indoors. As a freshman with nothing to lose, I predict she’ll get more than 1 game. CMS 6-2, 6-0
#5 singles: Devon Wolfe (CMS) vs. Ella Rueff (CC)
WestW: I plugged Wolfe in at #5 for the Athenas, which should scare EVERYONE because she was a pretty solid #3 for a top-10 team in Bowdoin last year. IDK if she actually plays, the bottom of the CMS lineup is pretty interchangable. Won’t change the result though. CMS 6-1, 6-0
ASW: Wolfe will be returning from sunny SoCal to the cold for the weekend (is it cold in KY this time of year?) and hopefully she has adjusted well to her new team of Athenas. Rueff is another one of Centre’s freshmen with nothing to lose and maybe a home court advantage. CMS 6-1, 6-1
#6 singles: Sarah Bahsoun (CMS) vs. Caroline Lancaster (CC)
WestW: My biggest question going into this match is how long it will take. Maybe we can get the men’s bloggers to set an over/under. CMS 6-0, 6-0
ASW: I’m not sure what to write here. CMS 6-0, 6-0
Overall prediction:
WestW: CMS 9-0
ASW: CMS 9-0