Bulldogs Take Doubles Point and Two of Top Three Singles Spots
SANTA CLARA, Calif. - The Santa Clara men's tennis team just reached an all-time high in the ITA rankings at No. 29 earlier this week, but the Yale Bulldogs nearly shortened that celebration Thursday afternoon at Degheri Tennis Center. After taking the doubles point 2-1, Yale pushed the Broncos to the limit with two wins in the top three singles spots, but ultimately Santa Clara avoided the upset with a 4-3 win.
Yale (7-4) saw its three-match winning streak come to an end, but did win the doubles point for the fourth time in a row and eighth time in 11 spring matches. That also marked the first time in four matches that Santa Clara had surrendered a point.
An 8-5 win at No. 1 doubles by juniors Daniel Hoffman and Marc Powers, combined with a 9-7 win at No. 3 doubles by junior John Huang and sophomore Patrick Chase, gave Yale a 1-0 lead. Hoffman and Powers are now 7-1 in the spring and 16-4 overall. Huang and Chase have won five straight matches together.
Hoffman and Huang then came through with wins at No. 2 and No. 3 singles, respectively. Huang's 6-2, 6-0 win snapped a five-match winning streak for Nicolas Vinel. At No. 2, the Broncos' John Lamble had a six-match winning streak and grabbed the first set against Hoffman, but had to retire down 3-0 in the second set.
Santa Clara (11-3) won at the other four singles spots in straight sets to earn the 4-3 victory. The Broncos improved to 6-1 at home.
Yale's swing through California continues with a match at No. 10 Stanford on Saturday.
Report by Sam Rubin '95 (sam.rubin@yale.edu), Yale Sports Publicity
Position | Santa Clara University | Yale University | Winner | Score |
#1 Singles | #106 Kyle Dandan | #78 Marc Powers | Santa Clara University | 7-5, 6-1 |
#2 Singles | John Lamble | Daniel Hoffman | Yale University | 6-7, 3-0 ret. |
#3 Singles | Nicolas Vinel | John Huang | Yale University | 6-2, 6-0 |
#4 Singles | Tom Pham | Erik Blumenkranz | Santa Clara University | 6-3, 6-4 |
#5 Singles | Ilya Osintsev | Kyle Dawson | Santa Clara University | 6-1, 6-2 |
#6 Singles | Eugene Muchynski | Joel Samaha | Santa Clara University | 6-2, 6-1 |
#1 Doubles | Ilya Osintsev John Lamble |
Daniel Hoffman Marc Powers |
Yale University | 8-5 |
#2 Doubles | Kyle Dandan Tom Pham |
Erik Blumenkranz Joel Samaha |
Santa Clara University | 8-5 |
#3 Doubles | Keith Kamono Nicolas Vinel |
John Huang Patrick Chase |
Yale University | 9-7 |