Williams edges Middlebury 5-4

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WILLIAMSTOWN – Something had to give. Two teams ranked in the top ten nationally, both riding win streaks, met on a warm spring day and finished up indoors when darkness intervened. Williams senior co-captain Dan Greenberg won a three-set match at number one singles to clinch a 5-4 Williams win. The match took five hours to complete. "Give Middlebury a lot of credit, this was a really tough match," said Eph head coach Dave Donn. "They pushed us to the limit."

When darkness forced the match indoors Williams led 4-3 with both number one and number two singles tied at one set each. When Middlebury's Filip Marinkovic defeated the Ephs' Nick Lebedoff 5-7, 6-3, 6-2 the match came down to the result at one singles.

The Panthers' Andrew Lee won the first set from Greenberg 6-2, but the Eph senior responded with a 6-4 win in the second set and closed out the match with a 6-3 win in the third set. "Dan Greenberg has been huge for us all year," stated Donn. "He really stepped it up and showed his senior leadership today. I thought he played his best tennis under pressure."

The Eph win streak was extended to five and Middlebury's five-match streak was ended. Williams, ranked 4th nationally is now 10-1 overall and 2-0 in NESCAC, while Middlebury, ranked 9th is 10-4 overall and 4-1 in NESCAC.

"This is a huge win for our program over a good Middlebury program that has had a lot of success against us recently," said Donn. "To get over the hump is a big boost to the guys' confidence and a big step for moving forward."

The win was the first for Williams over Middlebury since April 2, 2002, when the Ephs won in Williamstown 6-1.

The Ephs will next play on Saturday at 2:00 pm when they host Little Three and NESCAC rival Wesleyan.

Williams 5, Middlebury 4

Doubles:

1) Dan Greenberg/Bret Thacher (W) def. Andrew Lee/Chris Mason (M) – 8-5


2) Gary Simonette/Nick Lebedoff (W) def. Andrew Peters/Michael Malhame (M) – 8-5

3) Filip Marinkovic/Rich Bonfiglio (M) def. Karol Furmaga/Rick Devlin (W) – 8-2

Singles:

1) Greenberg (W) def.  Lee (M)  -- 2-6, 6-4, 6-3

2) Marinkovic (M) def. Lebedoff (W) – 5-7, 6-3, 6-2

3) Peters (M) def. Simonette (W) – 7-5, 6-2

4) Jeremy Weinberger (W) def. Bonfiglio (M) – 6-3, 7-6 (7-1)

5) Peter Odell (M) def. Furmaga (W) – 6-2, 6-2

6) Devlin (W) def. Mason (M) – 6-1, 6-2
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Williamstown Board Opts to Negotiate with College on Water St. Lot

By Stephen DravisiBerkshires Staff

Newly elected board member Nate Budington, far left, participates in his first in-person meeting along with, from left, Matt Neely, Stephanie Boyd, Peter Beck, Shana Dixon and Town Manager Robert Menicocci.
WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — The Select Board on Monday decided to enter into negotiations with Williams College on the sale of the vacant town-owned lot at 59 Water St.
 
But the board members made it clear that the college's proposal to acquire the lot is a starting point, not a final deal that the elected officials would accept.
 
"For the sake of continued conversation, I'm in favor of [awarding Williams the site], but if this process wasn't continued with the opportunity for further negotiation, I wouldn't vote to continue this," Peter Beck said. "I think that next step is necessary for us to get to a yes on this."
 
"I think there's wide agreement on that," Matthew Neely said just before the 5-0 vote to enter talks with the college.
 
Williams was the sole respondent to a town-issued request for proposals to develop the former town garage site, currently a dirt lot.
 
The college's stated intent is to build a new Facilities office and create up to 170 parking spaces at 59 Water Street. That use will allow the college to redevelop the current Facilities building site and parking lot as part of a reconception of the school's indoor athletic and recreation facilities.
 
Under the terms of the RFP, the college's proposal was subjected to review by an ad hoc advisory committee to the town manager, who brought the question to the Select Board. That board will have the final say on any purchase and sales agreement.
 
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