The top-seeded and top-ranked Middlebury College men's tennis team won its second straight NESCAC Championship, and sixth in the last seven years, with a 6-0 win over No. 3 seed Williams College. The Panthers won four straight titles from 2004-07, before winning back-to-back championships in 2009 and again in 2010.
In doubles play, Middlebury's top pairing of Andrew Thomson and Andrew Lee cruised to an 8-2 win over Bryan Chow and Dicken Chaplin to set the tone. Shortly after, Chris Mason and Andrew Peters defeated Williams' Felix Sun and Richard Meyer 8-5 at number three, before Eliot Jia and Conrad Olson closed out the doubles sweep with an 8-5 win over Nick Lebedoff and Will Petrie at number two.
In singles action, Middlebury's Andrew Lee defeated Nick Lebedoff in straight sets, 6-3, 6-2 to put the Panthers on the verge of the title. With both Conrad Olson and Andrew Thomson closing in on wins at numbers three and four, it seemed only a matter of time before Middlebury would be named champions of the NESCAC once again. Olson closed out his win over Jeremy Weinberger 6-4, 6-2, to earn the decisive fifth point, but in customary fashion all matches were allowed to finish the points that were already underway. With the match decided, Thomson closed out a three-set win over Bryan Chow on that very point, winning 6-3, 6-1 after dropping the opening frame 0-6.
In the three remaining singles bouts, Andrew Peters was just one game from finishing off Felix Sun, holding a 7-6, 5-2 lead when the day came to an end. Zach Weiss was very close to earning the first team point for Williams, leading Peter Odell 5-4 in the second set after winning the first stanza 7-5. In the final match, Richard Meyer dropped the first frame to Eliot Jia 4-6, but rebounded for a 6-1 win in the second set, and held a 1-0 lead in the third when play halted.
With the win, Middlebury's record improves to 18-2 as the Panthers earn the conference's automatic berth to the upcoming NCAA Tournament. The Ephs fall to 11-6 with the loss, but will have a great shot for an at-large bid to the NCAAs.
Middlebury 6, Williams 0
Singles
1. Andrew Peters (MID) vs. Felix Sun (WIL) 7-6, 5-2, unfinished
2. Andrew Lee (MID) def. Nick Lebedoff (WIL) 6-3, 6-2
3. Conrad Olson (MID) def. Jeremy Weinberger (WIL) 6-4, 6-2
4. Andrew Thomson (MID) vs. Bryan Chow (WIL) 0-6, 6-3, 6-1,
5. Peter Odell (MID) vs. Zach Weiss (WIL) 5-7, 4-5, unfinished
6. Eliot Jia (MID) vs. Richard Meyer (WIL) 6-4, 1-6, 0-1, unfinished
Doubles
1. Andrew Thomson/Andrew Lee (MID) def. Bryan Chow/Dicken Chaplin (WIL)
8-2
2. Eliot Jia/Conrad Olson (MID) def. Nick Lebedoff/Will Petrie (WIL) 8-5
3. Chris Mason/Andrew Peters (MID) def. Felix Sun/Richard Meyer (WIL) 8-5
