#5 Ephs close out spring break with 6-3 loss at #1 Emory
Jeremy Weinberger '10
ATLANTA, GA. - Coming off a huge win over third-ranked Claremont last week, fifth-ranked Williams men's tennis couldn't pull of another stunner against top-ranked Emory University, falling by a 6-3 margin. The Ephs finish off their spring break with a 3-2 record, with two wins coming over top-ten opponents, and sport an overall 5-2 season record.
"Overall, I'm very happy with the trip that we had," said Williams' head coach Dave Donn. "We sized up very well with some of the best teams in the country, and we are coming away with a good idea of what we have to improve on so that we are playing our best tennis six or seven weeks from now when it really matters the most."
In doubles play, Jeremy Weinberger and Kevin Shallcross avoided a 3-0 hole for the Ephs, battling to a win in the tiebreak over the Eagles' Oliver Lopp and Colin Egan at court three, 9-8(4). The Williams pair was certainly the most consistent doubles pair over the past two weeks, posting a 4-1 record this spring.
The Ephs would need a strong showing in singles to overcome #1 Emory, but managed only two of six singles victories. Three matches went the distance. Nick Lebedoff fought for a second set to even his match at court one, but fell in the third set for a 6-4, 3-6, 6-4 loss. Karol Furmaga went ahead early, but let Emory's Chris Redmond take the final two sets for a 4-6, 6-2, 6-2 defeat at court six.
Freshman Kevin Shallcross came through at court five, pulling out a 7-5 third set to tally a point for the Ephs. The two first years, Shallcross and Will Petrie, provided the only singles victories today with Petrie also tallying a win at court four. He fought hard for a first set tiebreak, before cruising to a 6-2 second set. Weinberger and Rick Devlin lost at courts two and three.
The Ephs will return to Williamstown next week, and have a weekend of NESCAC competition ahead. On April 11, Williams will travel to Tufts, followed by a match against archrival Amherst on April 12.
Emory 6, Williams 3
Doubles-
1) Mike Goodwin/Chris Goodwin (E) def. Bret Thacher/Dicken Chaplin (W) --- 8-3
2) Mark Boren/David Caplan (E) def. Nick Lebedoff/Will Petrie (W) --- 8-5
3) Jeremy Weinberger/Kevin Shallcross (W) def. Oliver Lopp/Colin Egan (E) --- 9-8(4)
Singles-
1) Mike Goodwin (E) def. Lebedoff (W) --- 6-4, 3-6, 6-4
2) Chris Goodwin (E) def. Weinberger (W) --- 6-3, 6-4
3) Boren (E) def. Rick Devlin (W) --- 6-3, 6-4
4) Petrie (W) def. Egan (E) --- 7-6(3), 6-2
5) Shallcross (W) def. Lopp --- 3-6, 6-4, 7-5
6) Chris Redmond (E) def. Karol Furmaga (W) --- 4-6, 6-2. 6-2
