LONGMEADOW, Mass. - The Bowdoin College men's tennis team won the first three singles matches decided to pull away for a 5-1 win over MIT in the second round of the NCAA Division III Tournament Saturday in a match played at Grande Meadow Tennis Club.

The Polar Bears improve to 12-9 and advance to the third round of the tournament Sunday where they will play Amherst at noon.

Chris Lord and Chase Savage got Bowdoin on the board with a 8-4 win at #3 doubles, but MIT's #2 duo of Edwin Zhang/Kenny Gea answered for MIT with victory to even the score. Bowdoin's #1 pairing of Sam King and Luke Trinka gained an early lead in the deciding match of doubles play and pulled away for an 8-5 win to give the Polar Bears a crucial 2-1 advantage heading into singles action.

Chris Lord made quick work of his match at #4, taking a 6-2, 7-5 win to give Bowdoin a 3-1 lead. Kyle Wolstencroft increased Bowdoin's lead soon after by capturing a 6-3, 6-2 win at #5. Needing one of the final four matches to seal the match, Noah Bragg clinched it with a hard-fought 4-6, 6-3, 6-3 comeback win at #1.

Bowdoin was up a set in two of the three remaining matches, including Chase Savage at #6, who was about to serve for match point when Bragg wrapped up the win.

NCAA Division III Second Round
Bowdoin 5, MIT 1
Singles competition
1. Noah Bragg (BOW) def. Edwin Zhang (MIT) 4-6, 6-3, 6-3
2. Luke Trinka (BOW) vs. Kevin Wang (MIT) 2-6, 7-6 (2-0), unfinished
3. Sam King (BOW) vs. Eugene Oh (MIT) 7-5, 4-4, unfinished
4. Chris Lord (BOW) def. Kenny Gea (MIT) 6-1, 7-5
5. Kyle Wolstencroft (BOW) def. Jeffrey Bu (MIT) 6-3, 6-2
6. Chase Savage (BOW) vs. Dennis Garcia (MIT) 6-3, 5-3, unfinished

Doubles competition
1. Sam King/Luke Trinka (BOW) def. Kevin Wang/Eugene Oh (MIT) 8-5
2. Edwin Zhang/Kenny Gea (MIT) def. Kyle Wolstencroft/Noah Bragg (BOW) 8-2
3. Chase Savage/Chris Lord (BOW) def. Dennis Garcia/Jeffrey Bu (MIT) 8-4