Middlebury Earns 5-0 Win Over Ithaca in NCAA Men's Tennis Tournament

Courtesy Middlebury Athletic Communications

MIDDLEBURY, Vt. - Middlebury advanced to the NCAA Regional Finals with a 5-0 win over Ithaca. The Panthers will take on Skidmore at 1:00 p.m. on Sunday with a trip to the NCAA Quarterfinals on the line. Ithaca ends its season at 18-5, while Middlebury improves to 19-2 on the year with 12 straight wins. The match began at 2:00 p.m. on the outdoor courts and was moved inside the Nelson Rec Center due to rain. Following a few minutes of action indoors, a power failure caused a lengthy delay with action resuming at local indoor facility at 8:15 p.m.

Middlebury jumped out to a quick 3-0 lead, sweeping all three doubles matches. Eliot Jia and Andrew Peters were the first victors, earning an 8-2 win in the #3 slot. Andrew Lee and Rich Bonfiglio earned an 8-3 win at #2, followed by David Farah and Andrew Thomson’s 8-4 win at #1.The Panthers needed just two singles matches to advance, after taking the first set in all six contests. Peters was the first singles player to earn a victory, defeating Jimmy Newton 6-0, 6-1. Lee clinched the victory for the Panthers with a 6-4, 6-4 win over Josh Rifkin.

Middlebury 5, vs. Ithaca, 0

Doubles
1 - David Farah/Andrew Thomson (Middlebury) def. Taylor Borda/Josh Rifkin (Ithaca) - 8-4
2 - Andrew Lee/Rich Bonfiglio (Middlebury) def. Jimmy Newton/Danny Wolk (Ithaca) – 8-3
3 - Eliot Jia/Andrew Peters (Middlebury) def. Mike Mauraco/Andrew Dunnick (Ithaca) – 8-2

Singles
1 - Thomson (Middlebury) def. Burda (Ithaca) – 6-2, 4-5 DNF
2 - Lee (Middlebury) def. Rifkin (Ithaca) – 6-4, 6-4
3 - Peters (Middlebury) def. Newton (Ithaca) – 6-0, 6-1
4 - Jia (Middlebury) def. Wolk (Ithaca) – 6-4, 0-0, DNF
5 - Bonfiglio (Middlebury) vs. Muraco (Ithaca) – 6-0, 3-0 DNF
6 - Farrah (Middlebury) vs. Dan Levine (Ithaca) – 6-0, 0-1 DNF