AMHERST, Mass. – The fifth-seeded Bowdoin College men’s tennis team outlasted Middlebury 5-4 in the NESCAC semifinals on Saturday at Amherst College, advancing to the NESCAC title match on Sunday against Tufts University.
The Polar Bears (18-6) won the final three completed singles matches to defeat the Panthers (17-4) in the latest edition of one of Division III’s best tennis rivalries. Bowdoin hands Middlebury its first defeat in the NESCAC Tournament since the 2018 title match (also won by Bowdoin). The three-time champion Polar Bears will be appearing in the conference championship match for the second straight season and seventh time overall.
Match Highlights
Bowdoin got off to a solid start, winning two of three doubles matches to take an early 2-1 edge.
Tristan Bradley/Reid Staples earned an 8-6 victory at the number one position and Jackson Codd/Ethan Bradley dominated at number two, cruising to an 8-3 win.
Middlebury gained the momentum in singles play, claiming the first three completed matches at number two, five, and six to take a 4-2 overall lead.
The three remaining matches all split their first two sets and headed to deciding thirds.
Tristan Bradley (6-4, 6-7, 6-3) and Pieter Breuker (7-5, 4-6, 6-3) earned wins in quick succession to tie the match at 4-4, leaving Mark Kneiss and Middlebury’s Neel Epstein on the number four court to decide it.
Kneiss got out to a 3-1 lead but Epstein rallied to tie it at 4-4. The duo were knotted at 5-5 before Kneiss claimed the final two games and earned a deciding 7-5, 6-7, 7-5 epic in 3 hours and 33 minutes.
Up Next
Bowdoin will face Tufts in the NESCAC Championship match Sunday at 9:00 a.m. at Amherst. The Polar Bears will be looking for their fourth conference title overall. Tufts won the regular season match between the teams, 6-3, on April 14.
