The men's tennis team continued their incredible season by defeating two difficult opponents in No. 9 Kenyon College (Ohio) and No. 10 Middlebury College (Vt.) in an exciting fashion, winning 5-4 in both outings this weekend.
The wins are significant, as both Kenyon and Middlebury are ranked nationally.
Additionally, this win demonstrates Emory's competitiveness as they prepare for NCAA postseason run.
The Eagles showed lots of pride and should be proud of their performances this weekend, as the team persevered for both wins.
Both competitions started out rough as Kenyon and Middlebury took two out of the three doubles matches.
However, the Eagles stepped up their game in singles play, winning four of the six games necessary to come away with the victory.
Leading the Eagles was junior Alex Ruderman, who rose to the occasion twice to break the 4-4 deadlocks and seal the victory.
While both matches started very close, Ruderman took advantage of the momentum and pulled out a win in both matches.
In both matches, Ruderman continued to outplay his adversaries, capturing the second and third sets needed for victory.
Head Coach John Browning praised Ruderman's performance in both outings.
"Each match, Ruderman saved us," Browning said. "He's playing with the best players in the country and is staying composed when we need him most."
While Ruderman has had a truly fantastic season to date, other players have also contributed to the Eagles' success.
Players like Rafe Mosetick and Ian Wagner, who won their matches against Kenyon and Middleburry, deserve credit for keeping victory possible.
"We need to take things one match at a time so we don't get ahead of ourselves," Browning said.
The Eagles return to action Wednesday, April 2 against Georgia Gwinnett College.
– By Michael Scheck
