ITHACA, N.Y. (September 30, 2012) – Freshman Hunter Lathrop (South Londonberry, Vt./Stratton Mountain School) and Raul Smego (Ponce, Puerto Rico/Academia Cristo Rey) completed a perfect weekend at USTA/ITA Regional Championships, earning a trip to the USTA/ITA National Championships in Mobile, Alabama in two weeks.
 
The duo, playing in only two matches together prior to the regional event, won all five matches including the championship bout in straight sets on Sunday afternoon. The Rangers dominated the three-day event by cruising the first three rounds.
 
In the semifinals the two Rangers squared off against Michael Fields and Bruce Grant of Hobart College. The match went down to the wire, with Smego and Lathrop pulling out a 9-8 victory courtesy of a 7-3 tiebreaker victory.
 
The championship match was the only match of the doubles tournament that would be a best of three. The Ranger duo was able to defeat Dan Freeman and Andrew Guzick of Vassar in straight sets, 6-2, 6-3.
 
With the regional victory, Smego and Lathrop will receive an automatic bid to USTA/ITA National Championships at Copeland-Cox Tennis Center in Mobile, Alabama.

The Road to Alabama
32   Hunter Lathrop/Raul Smego (Drew University) def. Chris HAYES/Kyle RIETHER (Ithaca) 8-0
16   Hunter Lathrop/Raul Smego (Drew University) def. Kit Green-Sanderson/Nick Tong (Skidmore) 8-3
Q   Hunter Lathrop/Raul Smego (Drew University) def. Matt Levine/Ben Shapiro (Rochester) 8-3
S   Hunter Lathrop/Raul Smego (Drew University) def. Michael Fields/Bruce Grant (Hobart) 9-8 (7-3)
C   Hunter Lathrop/Raul Smego (Drew University) def. Dan Freeman/Andrew Guzick (Vassar) 6-2, 6-3