The Middlebury men's tennis team advanced to the NESCAC semifinals with a 5-1 over Tufts (10-8) in a semifinal match-up at Amherst. The Panthers will meet Williams on Saturday morning at 9:00 a.m. with a trip to the NESCAC Championship match on the line.

Taking two of three doubles matches to start the morning, third-seeded Middlebury (18-3) cruised to the 5-1 victory. Spencer Lunghino and Palmer Campbell got things started by shutting out Tufts' Andrew Lutz and Brian Tan, 8-0. Alex Johnston and Andrew Lebovitz then put Middlebury up two with an 8-3 victory over Ben Barad and Rob Jacobson before the Jumbos' Nick Telkedzhiev and Mark Westerfield notched Tufts' first win with an 8-5 decision over Brantner Jones and James Burke.

Jones kept the Panthers rolling with a 6-3, 6-3 triumph over Barad at second singles before Jackson Frons put Tufts on the brink with a 6-0, 6-2 win over Jacobson in the fifth slot. Not long after, Courtney Mountifield closed out the match by taking down Brian Tan, 6-2, 6-2 at the bottom of the order.

Singles

1. Alex Johnston (MID) vs. Nick Telkedzhiev (TUFTS) 6-4, unfinished
2. Brantner Jones (MID) def. Ben Barad (TUFTS) 6-3, 6-3
3. Palmer Campbell (MID) vs. Jay Glickman (TUFTS) 6-2, unfinished
4. Spencer Lunghino (MID) vs. Austin Blau (TUFTS) 6-4, unfinished
5. Jackson Frons (MID) def. Rob Jacobson (TUFTS) 6-0, 6-2
6. Courtney Mountifield (MID) def. Brian Tan (TUFTS) 6-2, 6-2

 Doubles

1. Alex Johnston/Andrew Lebovitz (MID) def. Ben Barad/Rob Jacobson (TUFTS) 8-3
2. Nick Telkedzhiev/Mark Westerfield (TUFTS) def. Brantner Jones/James Burke (MID) 8-5
3. Spencer Lunghino/Palmer Campbell (MID) def. Andrew Lutz/Brian Tan (TUFTS) 8-0