The fifth-seeded Colorado College men's tennis team gave top-seed Southwestern University everything it could handle and nearly pulled off a huge upset Saturday in the semifinals of the 2018 Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference Championships.
 
In a match that lasted 3 hours and 52 minutes, Southwestern jumped out to a 2-1 lead with a pair of wins at the Nos. 2 and 3 matches. Colorado College won the No. 1 match when sophomore Noah Forman and freshman Sam Hum rallied from a 7-5 deficit to down Alexis Dimanche and Grant Gideon, 9-7, to keep the match close.
 
"We made a few too many mistakes in doubles, or I think we could have won two of the matches," head coach Anthony Weber said. "Noah and Sam played much better at the end of the match and really got a beat on Southwestern's serves."
 
Sophomore Logan Pepperl evened the match at 2-2 with a decisive, 6-1 6-2, victory at No. 4 singles over Tyler Norman, but the Pirates won the next two matches off the court for a 4-2 advantage. Dimanche downed Forman, 6-4, 6-4, at the top spot and Dean Dulthummon beat Hum, 6-4, 6-3, at No. 2.
 
Freshman Alex Kely brought the Tigers within one with a 7-5, 6-3 triumph over Gideon at the No. 3 spot, but Jeremy Wilson clinched the match for Southwestern by defeating junior Christian Kitches, 6-4, 6-4, at No. 5. The No. 6 match was pulled off the court at that time.
 
Colorado College will play in the third-place match on Sunday, April 22, beginning at 11 a.m., at Memorial Park in Colorado Springs. The Tigers will face Austin College.
 
 
(1) Southwestern University 5, (5) Colorado College 3
April 21, 2018
U.S. Air Force Academy, Colo.
2018 SCAC Championships – Men's Semifinal
 
Singles
1. Alexis Dimanche (SU) def. Noah Forman, 6-4, 6-4
2. Dean Dulthummon (SU) def. Sam Hum, 6-4, 6-3
3. Alex Kley (CC) def. Grant Gideon, 7-5, 6-3
4. Logan Pepperl (CC) def. Tyler Norman, 6-1, 6-2
5. Jeremy Wilson (SU) def. Christian Kitchen, 6-4, 6-4
6. Alonso Fernandez (SU) vs. Brian Chen, 6-3, 5-0 DNF
Order of Finish: 4, 1, 2, 3, 5
 
Doubles
1. Noah Forman / Sam Hum (CC) def. Alexis Dimanche / Grant Gideon, 9-7
2. Alonso Fernandez / Dean Dulthummon (SU) def. Brian Chen / Christian Kitchen, 8-5
3. Jeremy Wilson / David Strong (SU) def. Logan Pepperl / Alex Kley, 8-4
Order of Finish: 3, 1, 2