AMHERST, Mass. - The Trinity College Bantams saw the 2021-22 season come to an end with a 5-0 setback against the Middlebury College Panthers in the quarterfinal round of the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) Men's Tennis Championship Tournament this morning at Amherst College.  Trinity finishes the year at 7-10 while the No. 4-ranked Panthers improve to 16-2 and advance to the NESCAC Semifinals against Amherst tomorrow at 9 a.m. at Wesleyan University.  

Trinity trailed, 3-0, after doubles play despite a valiant effort by senior tri-captains Ross DeRose (Buffalo, N.Y.) and Dylan Powell (Warwick, Bermuda) against the region's top-ranked tandem at the top of the doubles ladder.  The Trinity pair came back from a 5-3 deficit to tie the match at 5-5 and again at 7-7 before losing, 8-7.  In singles play, Middlebury won at No. 4 and No. 5 to clinch the decision and play was halted.  DeRose was leading Middlebury's Stan Morris, ranked No. 2 in the region, at first singles, 6-5, in the second set after Morris had taken the first, 6-3.  Bantam sophomore Henry Bilicic (Del Mar, Calif.) was also winning his second set, 4-3. at second singles after losing the first.

MATCH RESULTS
Doubles
1. M- Stan Morris/David Vilys d. Ross DeRose/Dylan Powell, 8-7
2. M- Aidan Harris/Noah Laber d. Henry Bilicic/Jack Ginter, 8-4
3. M- Neel Epstein/Zach Hilty d. Pierce Rutledge/Eduardo Sanchez-Carrion, 8=5
Singles
1. DNF
2. DNF
3. DNF
4. M- Hilty d. Ginter, 6-2, 6-3
5. M- Epstein d. Charlie Kilborn, 6-0, 6-3
6. DNF
Middlebury 5, Trinity (Conn.) 0