The #7 Middlebury men's tennis team earned the doubles point but could not keep the momentum in a 4-2 defeat to 10th-ranked Johns Hopkins in the regional final of the NCAA Championship in Baltimore, Maryland.
HIGHLIGHTS
- The sides strived for early momentum in doubles. Marco Azar and Mukundh Boopathi earned a 6-2 triumph at #3 while Hugh Hentschel and Nikky Kondamuri secured a 6-3 victory in the third slot.
- The tandem of Thehan Wijemanne and Noah Laber clinched the point with a 7-6 (9-7) win at the top slot.
- Johns Hopkins grabbed a 3-1 lead to begin singles with three consecutive straight-set triumphs at #6, #3, and #5.
- Julian Wu pulled the Panthers back within a point (3-2), rallying after dropping the first set 6-2 with 7-5 and 6-0 results in the second and third.
- The Blue Jays claimed the match with a three-set thriller in the fourth slot to punch their ticket to the NCAA Quarterfinals.
NOTES
- Wu tallied his 61st career singles victory.
- The programs met for the sixth time overall and the fifth matchup in the NCAA Tournament.
- Middlebury caps its season at 16-6 and secured the program's 12th NESCAC crown.
Laber and Wijemanne will head to California for the NCAA Singles and Doubles Championships set to begin on Sunday, May 23.
