ASHLAND, Va. – Washington and Lee University won its eighth straight Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) Men’s Tennis title Sunday, 5-0, over Guilford College. The Generals captured their league-record 36th ODAC men’s tennis crown and the league’s automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Championships.
The loss ends Guilford’s finest men’s tennis season since 1996. The match marked the Quakers’ (12-6) first ODAC Tournament final in school history.
Ranked 29th in the April 27 Oracle/Intercollegiate Tennis Association Division III Team Rankings, Washington and Lee (16-6) built an early 3-0 lead by winning each of the three doubles matches. The Generals’ Jordan Krasner and Mitchell Thomas topped Guilford’s Chasen Chacon and Graham Pearson, 8-3, at second doubles. Washington and Lee’s number-three tandem of Thomas Harmon and Mac Zheng defeated Guilford’s Aaron Smedley and Levi Bruff by the same count. Guilford’s Tate Godwin and Mesa Martorell gave Will Bannister and Charlie Kittredge a run at first singles before the Generals prevailed, 8-6.
Washington and Lee clinched the crown with quick singles wins at fifth and sixth singles. Harmon defeated Guilford’s Mason Church, 6-0, 6-0, at sixth singles before Thomas ended the match by downing Bruff at fifth singles, 6-0, 6-2.
Tennis Match Results
Guilford vs Washington and Lee
May 07, 2017 at Ashland, Va.
(Banks Tennis Center)
#29 Washington and Lee 5, Guilford 0
Singles competition
1. Jordan Krasner (WLUM) vs. Tate Godwin (GC) 6-5, unfinished
2. Will Bannister (WLUM) vs. Mesa Martorell (GC) 5-3, unfinished
3. Zack Ely (WLUM) vs. Aaron Smedley (GC) 6-3, 1-1, unfinished
4. Mac Zheng (WLUM) vs. Jon-Anthony Thomas (GC) 6-5, unfinished
5. Mitchell Thomas (WLUM) def. Levi Bruff (GC) 6-0, 6-2
6. Thomas Harmon (WLUM) def. Mason Church (GC) 6-0, 6-0
Doubles competition
1. Will Bannister/Charlie Kittredge (WLUM) def. Tate Godwin/Mesa Martorell (GC) 8-6
2. Jordan Krasner/Mitchell Thomas (WLUM) def. Chasen Chacon/Graham Pearson (GC) 8-3
3. Thomas Harmon/Mac Zheng (WLUM) def. Aaron Smedley/Levi Bruff (GC) 8-3
Match Notes:
Guilford 12-6
Washington and Lee 16-6; National ranking #29
Old Dominion Athletic Conference Tournament Final
Washington and Lee is ranked 29th in the April 27 Oracle/ITA Men’s National Team Ranking
T-2:00
A-23