The Middlebury men's tennis team, ranked sixth nationally, maintained its unblemished record in NESCAC play with an 8-1 NESCAC victory Saturday on the road over eighth-ranked Bowdoin at the Pickard Tennis Courts. The Panthers (15-2, 5-0), who have won seven-straight matches, stay in Maine for a match Sunday at 2:00 p.m. with #20 Bates.

Middlebury secured a 3-0 lead after doubles' play. The Panther tandem of Ari Smolyar and Noah Farrell secured the first point against the Polar Bears (10-4, 4-3) with an 8-2 victory over Kyle Wolstencroft and Gil Roddy at #2. In the third spot, Chris Frost and William de Quant gave the Panthers their second point with an 8-3 win over Noah Bragg and Kyle Wolfe. The #1 team of Palmer Campbell and Peter Heidrich completed the sweep posting a thrilling 9-8 (5) triumph against Luke Trinka and Luke Tercek.

In singles play, Tercek gave Bowdoin its lone point with a 6-3, 6-2 victory over Jackson Frons in the fourth flight. The Panthers rattled off the next five matches, including three that needed a third-set super breaker to decide a victor. Campbell gave the Panthers a 4-1 lead via a 6-2, 6-2 win over Wolfe at #3, while Smolyar clinched the decisive fifth team point in a 6-2, 6-3 victory over Trinka in the top spot.

Rounding things out were Courtney Mountifield over Roddy at #6 (3-6, 6-0, 10-7), Farrell at #2 topping Bragg (6-2, 5-7, 10-8) and de Quant in the fifth spot over Wolstencroft (6-1, 5-7, 10-8).