(Story courtesy of Trinity University)
BRUNSWICK, Maine - The Tiger men's tennis team opened up its part in the NCAA Playoffs with a 5-1 win over Skidmore College on Saturday afternoon.
Trinity (21-7) lost the initial doubles point, but rallied to take a 2-1 lead after doubles. From there, the Tigers cruised to three straight-set wins to clinch the victory.
After Greg Haugen and Jordan Mayer lost 8-3 at No. 2 doubles, it was the outstanding first-year duo of Charlie Curtis and Aaron Skinner who knotted the match with an 8-6 victory at the third position. Curtis and Skinner are now 11-1 in doubles this season.
Top doubles team Max Frey and Erick DelaFuente then won an 8-6 decision of their own to put Trinity ahead for good.
In singles, it was the first-year combo of Curtis and Skinner that stole the show again. Skinner won 6-0, 6-0 at No. 6 singles to make it 3-1 Trinity, then Curtis took a 7-5, 6-1 win at No. 4 singles to put the Tigers just one point from the victory.
Haugen won 6-1 in his opening set in the third slot, but then lost 1-6 in the second set. Frey, DelaFuente, and Mayer all won their first sets, and at that point, it became a race to see who would be the clincher.
It was DelaFuente in the second position who won the race, winning 6-4, 6-3 to seal the win. Frey was leading 6-4, 4-3 at No. 1 singles, while Haugen had raced to a 5-2 lead in the third set of his match. Mayer won 7-6 in his first set at No. 5, but was trailing 0-3 in the second when the team match ended.
Trinity will face Bowdoin College in the NCAA Regional Final tomorrow afternoon at 12:00 p.m. (Eastern). The winner of tomorrow's match will advance to the NCAA Quarterfinals in Cary, North Carolina.
