NORTHFIELD, Minn. – The Carleton College men's tennis team advanced to the MIAC Playoffs Championship match after defeating College of St. Scholastica 4-1 in the semifinals.
Carleton (18-6) will face No. 23-ranked Gustavus Adolphus College in the finals. This will mark the 17th time in 19 editions of the MIAC Playoffs in its current five-team format that the Knights and Gusties will square off in the championship match. Carleton upset Gustavus to win the playoff title in 2010 - the Gusties' only loss to a conference foe since the 1986 campaign.
On Friday, No. 47-ranked Carleton got off to a quick start and secured the doubles team point.
Jack Rivkin and
Aksay Garapati won 6-1 atop the lineup and
Ezra Bernhard and
Baiyun Jing prevailed 6-2 at No. 3 doubles. The other doubles match was tied 4-4 but was left incomplete after the doubles point was determined.
"Jack and Akshay set the tone in doubles, enforcing their aggressive style of play from the very first point," said Carleton head coach
Stephan Zweifel. "Their motto all year has been that 'only dead fish go with the flow'."
Garapati rallied from an early deficit to win 6-3, 6-1 over Mateo Torre at No. 1 singles.
Owen Heidtke followed with a 6-4, 6-0 result against Harper Dircks at No. 6 singles.
Dane Patten kept St. Scholastica (13-7) in the match with his 6-3, 6-2 win over Jing at No. 2 singles, but
Zach Leslie secured the Carleton team victory with his 7-6, (7-5), 6-1 triumph over Eamon Gerrar-Stace at No. 3 singles.
"Zach tore through his second set to clinch the match with the patience of a toddler given a cupcake," noted Zweifel.
When play was halted after the team was decided, Bernhard held a 6-3, 4-1 advantage at No. 4 singles and Rivkin led 6-3, 6-6 at No. 5 singles.
Up Next for the Knights
Carleton heads to St. Peter, Minn. for a 3:30 p.m. first serve at Gustavus Adolphus.
