CLAREMONT, Calif. – The 26^th-ranked Skidmore College men's tennis team withstood a late rally by No. 40 Southwestern, winning 6-3 to finish fifth at the Stag-Hen Invitational, held at the Biszantz Family Tennis Center on Saturday.
 
Skidmore (8-4) finishes the California trip with a 3-2 record. Southwestern falls to 9-2 on the season.
 
The Thoroughbreds to an early 3-0 advantage after doubles, but each match was close. The teams of JT Wynne and Noah Williamson at No. 1, and Suraj Mahtani and Travis Leaf at No. 2 each won by 8-6 scores. At third doubles, Jason Keye and Jack McClaren went back-and-forth with Alonso Fernandez and Carlos Rodero, as both teams were tied at seven near the end. In the tiebreak, Keye and McClaren pulled away from the Southwestern duo, finishing the sweep by an 8-7 (7-2) score.
 
Wynne put Skidmore at the brink of victory with his 6-3, 6-4 win over Alexis Dimanche at No. 1. Then came the Southwestern comeback, as the Pirates took wins at two and three, then took leads in the three remaining singles matches. Mahtani put Southwestern out of reach with his clincher at No. 5. After winning the first set vs. Max Pearson by a 6-3 score, he dropped the second by the same margin. After early trouble in the third set, Mahtani cruised to a 6-2 win to take the match for Skidmore. Connor Biernat had a hard-fought match against Rodero at No. 6, but prevailed by a 6-2, 6-7 (5-7), 7-6 (7-5) score.
 
Skidmore will return to New York and Liberty League play, and will face an old foe in No. 33 RPI in Troy next Sunday, March 24 at 1 p.m.