Box Score

CLAREMONT, Calif. – The Chapman University men's tennis team was well represented at the ITA Division III Fall West Regional this weekend with appearances in the championship matches of both the top singles and doubles flight. Caleb Wilkins made the singles championship for the second year in a row and paired with Ian Jordan to advance to the championship doubles match.

As finalists in the regional, Wilkins and Jordan earned an automatic qualifier to the national ITA Cup on Oct. 12-16 in Rome, Ga.

Wilkins earned the No. 2 seed in the top flight and rolled through his side of the bracket with four consecutive straight set wins to sweep his way into the championship match against CMS' Advik Mareedu. In a rematch of last year's fall final, Wilkins outlasted Mareedu in the first set in a 10-8 tiebreaker to take the initial lead.

However, Mareedu responded with a tiebreaker victory in the second set and then took the third to reclaim the fall title – 6-7 (8-10), 7-6 (7-3), 6-4.

Wilkins and Jordan opened the top doubles bracket as the No. 5 seed and were able to escape a first round upset with a tiebreaker victory. After that, a pair of 8-4 victories put the duo in the semifinals against the top seed from Caltech. It took another tiebreaker but the Panthers pulled off the 8-7 (10-8) upset to advance to the championship match.

Wilkins played in his third match of Championship Sunday to play for the doubles title but the Panther duo fell 6-3, 6-1 to the No. 2 ranks doubles team from Pomona-Pitzer.

The Panthers saw other strong performances to highlight the weekend. Mac Caldwell reached the semifinals of the second flight individually and reached the semifinals of the consolation bracket of the top flight with Andy Hess.

The Panthers wrapped up their fall competition but Wilkins and Jordan will be back on the courts at the Rome Tennis Center with best tennis players in Division III Oct. 12-16.