'Tufts' Loss Finds Men's Tennis

Author: Scott Palmer

The men's varsity tennis team continued their regular season last Friday with a critical match against its NESCAC rival, Tufts University. Coming into the match with a record of 7-2, the Panthers looked to establish themselves as a top NESCAC team against the Jumbos who came into the match with a record of 5-0 (3-0 NESCAC). Unfortunately this would not be Middlebury's day.

The Panthers came out strong, winning the doubles point as the number two team of sophomore Stu Brown and first-year Justin Ingoglia and the number three team of junior Rick Jamgochian and first-year Andrew Jacobi both won their matches, by scores of 8-5 and 8-1, respectively. Both teams played very well in securing the doubles point by, while the number one team of senior Matt Dougherty and junior Steve Hulce fought valiantly before falling 8-6.

Leading 1-0, the first three singles matches went out on the court. Ingoglia faced Tufts' David Ruttenberg, who he had beaten in the fall in a singles tournament. This time the tables were turned, as Ruttenberg won the match 7-5, 6-4, thus tying up the overall match score at 1-1. At number two singles, Hulce lost a very tight battle to Tufts first-year Rifat Perahya by a score of 6-4, 6-4 to give the Jumbos a 2-1 advantage.

The tide then turned to the Panther's favor as Dougherty won his match at number three singles 6-0, 6-3. As the numbers four to six matches took the court, whichever team won two out of three would be crowned the winner. The bottom half of the singles lineup started well for Middlebury as Jacobi jumped out to an early lead at number four singles. Jacobi would go on to win his match in two tough sets, 6-3, 7-5, after coming back from 5-2 down in the second set. At number five singles Alex Meditz fell to Tufts senior Mark Fitzgerald 6-3, 6-3. This match tied the match at 3-3, and meant that the winner of the number six singles match between Brown and Adam Yates of Tufts would determine the winner of the match.

The match started off with both players holding serve relatively easily, and eventually going to a first set tiebreaker. Brown had one set point returning Yates' serve in the tiebreaker, but was unable to convert, and lost the set 8-6 in the tiebreaker. In the second set, Yates started off very strong, breaking Brown's serve and taking a 4-1 lead, but the match was far from over. Energized by the crowd on hand, Brown rallied to tie the set at 4-4. The two players each held serve twice and the match was sent to another tiebreaker. In a reversal of roles, Yates had a match point returning at 6-5, but Brown's serve was too strong and he eventually won the tiebreaker 8-6.

The players then entered a final third set which would determine the outcome of the match. At 2-1 in the third set, after hitting a serve, Brown began cramping in his left leg. The set continued with Brown playing in obvious pain, yet not yielding at all. On changeovers Brown replenished himself with bananas and drank Gatorade in a valiant attempt to stave off the cramps.

The struggle continued until 5-5 in the set, and after hitting a first serve, Brown's legs gave way, and he fell to the ground. After valiantly trying to stand up, Brown once again hit the ground and was forced to take a 5-minute injury timeout. While the tension increased dramatically, Hulce and Head Coach Dave Schwarz did their best to minimize the effects of the cramping so Brown would be able to finish the match.

Finally, Brown was able to stand once again, and amazingly held his serve to go up 6-5. Not to be outdone, Yates held as well to send the match to a third set tiebreaker. In this, the final decider of the match, Brown's physical state finally became too much to overcome, and Yates went on to win the match. Despite the final outcome, Brown's efforts were truly remarkable and certainly they inspired his teammates and all of those in attendance.

With the Tufts loss, the next few matches become even more critical for the Panthers' post-season hopes. This week the Panthers will play three matches, away versus Skidmore, and then at home over the weekend against Bowdoin College and Connecticut College. The match against the Bowdoin Polar Bears, who come into the match as the number 11 ranked team in the nation is especially critical for the Panthers' goal of making NCAA's, however the team does indeed control its own destiny, and this week will be a major determining factor of what that destiny will be.