Courtesy of Emory Athletics
The men’s tennis team huddles together during a match. The No. 4 ranked squad defeated Georgia Perimeter College 9-0 in its last match of the season last weekend.
Over the weekend, the men’s tennis team faced off with Georgia Perimeter College in the squad’s last meeting of the regular season. The No. 4 ranked Eagles had no problem dispatching the Jaguars, as they swept Georgia Perimeter 9-0, winning all six singles matches and all three doubles matches. The victory was the final tune-up for the postseason.
Last night, the Eagles traveled to Altamonte Springs, Florida to participate in the University Athletic Association (UAA) Championships, which go from Thursday through Saturday (April 24-26).
Following a stellar regular season in which the squad went 15-5, the Eagles claimed the No. 2 seed in the UAA tournament.
On Thursday, Emory faced off with No. 7 seed New York University, which is ranked No. 25 in the nation. The Eagles cruised once again, trouncing the Violets 9-0.
The team was most dominant in singles play, earning four victories in straight sets. Only the one and two singles matches required a third set.
The victory bodes well for the team. The Eagles have a remarkable track record in the UAA championships, capturing 22 of the last 24 crowns.
Emory’s greatest foe in recent history has been Washington University in St. Louis; the two universities have played one another in the final game for eight straight years.
However, this year will likely be more competitive for Emory, as seven of the eight UAA teams in the tournament are ranked in the top 30 nationally. Wash U (Mo.) is ranked No. 2, Carnegie Mellon (Pa.) is ranked No. 9, Case Western (Ohio) is ranked No. 10, Chicago (Ill.) is ranked No. 17, and Brandeis (Mass.) is ranked No. 30.
The Eagles will match up with No. 3 seed Carnegie Mellon.
Other matchups feature No. 1 seed Wash U taking on No. 8 seed Brandeis, while No. 4 seed Case Western matches up with No. 5 seed Chicago.
The squad had well-balanced efforts all season long, with six members of the team winning 13 or more matches in singles. Juniors Ian Wagner and Alex Ruderman were the team’s two singles wins leaders, going 20-4 and 17-3, respectively. The duo also formed the most successful doubles pairing, as they went 8-5 on the year.
Sports Editor Ryan Smith
contributed reporting
–By Ethan Morris
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