MIDDLEBURY, Vt. - The regionally-ranked Saint Michael's College men's tennis team lost to No. 3 Middlebury College, 8-1, on Saturday in the Nelson Recreation Center. The Purple Knights were 10th in the latest Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Division II East Region Poll, while the Panthers are third in the ITA's Division III national rankings and first in the Northeast. Middlebury advanced to the 2022 NCAA Final Four.
RECORDS
- Saint Michael's (2-7), Middlebury (2-0)
SAINT MICHAEL'S LEADERS
MATCH FACTS
- Barroso improved to 7-0 in singles play this season, the best start by a Purple Knight since Jeff Brezinsky '10 began 8-0 in 2007-08.
- Middlebury advanced to the NCAA Division III Final Four each of its past six completed seasons while making at least the Elite Eight 17 times in 18 years.
- The Purple Knights' challenging non-conference slate has featured a pair of matches with Division I Merrimack College and meetings with four nationally-ranked Division II and III foes, with another tomorrow.
THE ACTION
- Seniors Jason Boucher (Bedford, N.H./Bedford) and Connor Scott (Bellevue, Wash./Newport) opened doubles play with a narrow 8-5 loss in the second spot.
- Barroso and senior Josh Weiss (Pittsford, N.Y./Pittsford Mendon) fell by an 8-4 count at No. 3 in their first match together this year before junior Tristian Du Plessis (Rustenburg, South Africa/Hoërskool Waterkloof/Wallace State CC) and first-year Mathis Billman (Brandon, Miss./South Carolina Connections Academy) lost an 8-6 decision in the first position in their debut as a tandem.
- Barroso highlighted singles play for the Purple Knights by capturing a 6-2, 5-7, 10-4 victory in the fifth position, taking his 10th triumph in 11 tries since last March 26.
- Boucher took his opponent at No. 4 to a first-set tiebreaker in a 7-6 (9-7), 6-1 loss, while first-year Julius van den Broek (Bergschenhoek, The Netherlands/Wolfert Lyceum) was downed 7-5, 6-3 at No. 6.
- Weiss lost a 6-4, 6-0 decision at No. 1, junior Jackson Moser (Missouri City, Texas/Ridge Point) suffered a 6-3, 6-2 defeat in the second position, and Du Plessis fell 6-3, 6-0 at No. 3.
NEXT SAINT MICHAEL'S MATCH
- Sunday against No. 6 Williams College, 1 p.m. at Bennington (Vt.) Tennis Center.
- The Ephs, whose Division III national ranking is according to the ITA, qualified for the NCAA Tournament 24 times since 1995.
