Tournament BracketSARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y.—The 30th-ranked Skidmore College men's tennis team returns to the NCAA tournament for the eighth straight year this week, taking on the University of Southern Maine in the first round.
The Thoroughbreds (12-7) received an automatic bid into the tournament after winning their second straight and eighth overall Liberty League. Skidmore blanked Hobart 5-0 in the semifinal before beating Rensselaer, 5-2, in the championship match.
The Thoroughbreds take on the University of Southern Maine (12-2) in the first round May 7 at Amherst, with the winner advancing to face #22 Stevens (19-5) the regional semifinal May 8.
Kai Yuen Leung has developed into the team's top player and currently ranks fourth in the Northeast Region in singles. He is 12-4 on the year at number one singles and 17-6 in doubles with a 9-1 record at number two.
Reigning Liberty League Singles Performer of the Week junior
Kit Sanderson has been an integral part of the top of the lineup, going 20-6 in singles and 12-2 at number two.
Freshman
Lucas Pickering has compiled a singles record of 16-9 and went 6-1 in Liberty League play this season. Classmate
Ted Berkowitz has won three consecutive singles matches and is 7-3 at number six.
Defending national champion #2 Amherst (19-5) will serve as the host and will play the winner of Colby-Sawyer (12-10) and Yeshiva (12-3) in the other regional semifinal. The regional final will be played May 9.
The Jeffs, who have won two of the previous four national championships, have three singles players ranked in the top-20 and two doubles teams in the top-15 in the Northeast Region. Amherst had its 10-match win streak snapped in a 5-2 loss to #16 Williams in the NESCAC semifinals.
The tournament consists of 43 teams, playing a single-elimination tournament with the first, second and third rounds played at regional sites, May 7-10. Ohio Northern University and the Warren County Convention and Visitors Bureau will host the team championships finals, which will be held May 18-20 at Lindner Family Tennis Center in Mason, Ohio. Student-athletes selected to the individual championships will be announced Wednesday, May 6.
The Thoroughbreds lost to Stevens 7-2 on April 12 and 7-2 to Amherst on March 19.
A LOOK AT THE FIELD SCOUTING THE HUSKIES (12-2): Southern Maine earned an automatic bid into the NCAA tournament after knocking of UMASS Dartmouth Corsairs, 5-0, in the Little East Conference championship. The Huskies were undefeated in conference play and are currently on a 10-match winning streak.
USM, which is 60-16 on the season in singles, is led by Junior Tyler Adams who has posted a perfect 13-0 record at number one singles. Scott Gagne has won nine straight matches and is 11-2 at number two, while Kyle Curley, who is riding an eight-match win streak, is 10-2 at number three.
Adams and Gagne have also been the team's top duo, going 12-2 at number one. Curley and Thaddeus St. John have added consistency at number two, pairing for a 10-2 record.
SCOUTING THE DUCKS (19-5): No. 22 Stevens defeated Ithaca, 5-0, for its sixth straight Empire 8 Conference Championship. The Ducks have won 13 straight matches, dropping just 10 games during the run.
Matt Henrich has been in the top spot in the Ducks lineup all season, going 12-5 at number one singles and teaming with Ben Foran for a 12-3 record at number one doubles. He currently ranks fifth in the Northeast Region in singles, while he and Foran are fourth in doubles.
Charles Drake and Danny Polk have been key to the team's success. Drake is 14-3 in singles and 11-2 at number four, while Polk is 13-4 and 11-0 at number five. The two have combined for a doubles record of 11-1 and 7-0 mark at number three.
