After making quick work in a 4-0 sweep at Yale University on Saturday, the men’s tennis team won in dramatic fashion for the second week in a row at the Thompson outdoor courts on Sunday. It took a third set tiebreaker victory from Chris Kipouras ’15 to secure the win for the Big Green (18-5, 5-1 Ivy) against Brown University on senior day. The final score line was 4-3. The two wins secured the team’s winningest Ivy record since the eight-team league was established in 1998 and the 18 wins ties an all-time high.
The junior fought off seven match points in his 3-6, 7-6 (8-6), 6-6 (7-3) victory at the number two spot.
“Kip is one of the toughest competitors out there,” head coach Chris Drake said. “He always thinks he can win, and he hangs in there as well as anyone I’ve ever seen.”
Dartmouth began the day by winning the doubles point. Both the number one team of Brendan Tannenbaum ’16 and Cameron Ghorbani ’14 and the number three team of Brandon DeBot ’14 and Kipouras dominated their opponents to secure the doubles point for the Big Green against the Bears (10-12, 0-6 Ivy).
The singles matches were back and forth competitions with all but two of the six going to a third set. Dovydas Sakinis ’16 made quick work of his opponent at the number one position, dispatching him in two sets. DeBot did not experience his doubles success — in his last match at home, the senior leader lost in two sets in the number four spot.
George Wall ’17 secured a huge point for the Big Green in the number six position. After being just two points away from winning the match in the second set, Wall eventually won in a third set. The dramatic ending was a fitting precursor to what occurred on the middle court with Kipouras.
With the entire competition tied at 3-3, Kipouras and his opponent battled deep into a third set. Every fan in attendance crowded to see the only remaining competitors exchange blows.
Kipouras dropped the first set. On the verge of dropping the second — which would have given Dartmouth an overall loss for the day — Kipouras forced a tiebreaker where he achieved a 7-6 victory.
A dramatic second-set victory set the stage for another thrilling last set. Kipouras again found himself with his back to the wall. He staved off repeated match points.
Yet he forced a tiebreaker. The sun was beginning to sink, the air was chilly and everyone surrounding the center court was on their feet. Every point was met with either a roar or shouts of encouragement.
“It was as dramatic as you can get in college tennis,” Wall said.
Kipouras won the tiebreaker 7-3, and consequently the match. After the last point he fell to his knees, yelling to the sky as the crowd banged on the fence, roared and stormed the court. The team mobbed the junior.
“It was one of those perfect moments that you can only ever really get from sports,” Blake Niehaus ’17 said.
Fans, players and coaches gathered together to take a picture, commemorating a dramatic victory for Ghorbani and DeBot’s last match at home.
“I couldn’t think of a better way to go out,” Ghorbani said. “We’ve battled all year, and I think this just shows how strong this team really is.”
The victory placed the Big Green at 5-1 in the Ivy League this season. The team plays its last match next weekend against Harvard University, which will determine the outright second place team. Columbia University clinched the league title this weekend.
On Friday, the men traveled to face the Yale Bulldogs (12-9, 1-5 Ivy). The team cruised against Yale, dispatching the team in just two hours. The team dropped zero sets and a total of 38 games en route to a 4-0 win. Wins from the four, five and six spots secured the victory after the Big Green won the doubles point.
Dartmouth was ranked 41st in the nation heading into the weekend, but the victories should lift the team at least a few spots. Even with a loss, they have potentially done enough to secure a bid to the NCAA championship tournament.
“This match was defining monment of the whole season,” Wall said. “It’s just been so exciting to be involved with these guys and take the program to a new level. Stuff like Kip’s win is what defines who we are.”
The team travels to Cambridge next Saturday for its final match of the season.
