The Case Western Reserve University men’s tennis team is bound for the Division III NCAA title match—again.
After upsetting top-seed and previously unbeaten Claremont-Mudd-Scripps in the national semifinals Tuesday, the Spartans clinched a spot in their fourth national championship match in the last five seasons.
“I couldn’t believe it,” said junior Anmay Deveraj. “I just kind of had that sense of throwing up just because I couldn’t believe it.”
The Spartans had to overcome not just the top-ranked Division III team in America, but a hostile crowd.
In addition to being the top seed, Claremont-Mudd-Scripps is also the tournament’s host school.
“(The semifinals) just kind of solidified who we are as a team,” said sophomore Trey Lambright. “That dog that we have in us, that fight that we fight with every single match.”
The Spartans, full of new faces, have still found success in a season of uncertainty.
“Our team takes a lot of pride in being from Northeast Ohio and being from Cleveland,” said head coach Todd Wojtkowski. “It means the world to us to be able to put Cleveland on the map.”
Case Western will face Ohio rival Denison University Thursday at 8 p.m. ET for a chance at the Spartans’ second tennis title in school history.
