CLAREMONT, CA -Despite falling behind 2-1 after doubles, the No. 9 Pomona-Pitzer men's tennis team rallied to defeat No. 10 Williams College 5-4 on Tuesday at the Pauley Tennis Complex.
With wins at one and two doubles, the number three team of Alex Groth and Chris Wiechert executed well down the stretch and ran away with an 8-4 win to put the Hens on the board.
Heading into singles, Williams' number one player, Felix Sun, the No. 2 player in the nation, jumped out to an early lead, taking the first set 6-4. At two singles, Chris Wiechert continued his solid play, winning the first 6-4. At three singles, Frankie Allinson also pulled out a 6-4 first set. Uday Singh found himself in a 2-5 first set hole at number four singles, before gaining some momentum and rallying to take the first set in a tiebreaker. Max Sabel played a gritty first set and came away 7-5. At six singles, Alex Groth traded a break but was then broken a second time and fell behind 7-5.
Groth was unable to rally in the second set and succumbed 7-5, 6-2 to give Williams a 3-1 lead. Allinson answered back however, registering a 6-4, 6-3 win at three singles. Sabel jumped out to a one set, 4-1 lead before faltering and dropping the second 6-4. At one singles, Meyer mounted a comeback and grabbed the second set, 6-3 and cruised in the third, 6-0 to tie the match at 3. With the win, Meyer, currently ranked 44, is 9-2 in singles this spring (11-3 overall), with wins over the numbers 34, 33, 17, and 2 players in the country. His only losses this spring have been to the number 1 and 15 players in the nation.
Up a set, but down 2-5 in the second, Wiechert locked in and climbed back in the set, eventually breaking to win the match, 6-4, 7-5 and put the Hens within a point of their first win over Williams since 2000. At four singles, Singh jumped out to a 3-0, then 4-1 and 5-2 lead in the second and broke to win the match 7-6, 6-2 and hand the Hens the win.
On Wednesday, the team hosts Salisbury at 5:30 pm, and then rounds out March with a match against No. 14 Trinity-CT on Saturday at 10:30 am.
