GENEVA, N.Y.—The third-seeded Hobart College tennis team was defeated by second-seeded Skidmore 5-3 in a hard-fought Liberty League semifinal at Cornell's Reis Tennis Center this afternoon. The Statesmen wrap up their season with a 16-7 overall record. The Thoroughbreds, which are 8-10, advance to tomorrow's championship match against Rensselaer.
 
Skidmore took a 2-1 lead after doubles play, winning in the top two spots of the lineup. Seniors Jack Ledford and Thomas Shung gave Hobart a 1-0 lead with a win in the No. 3 spot. They beat Andrew Koessler and Connor Biernat, 8-3, to collect their ninth win of the season. The Thoroughbreds tied the match with an 8-1 victory in the No. 1 spot. Harry Lyu and Troy Steiner were edged by Zachary Portnoy and Brendan Jimenez in the No. 2 spot. Lyu and Steiner wrap up the season with a team-best 15-8 record in doubles play.
 
Skidmore extended its lead to 3-1 with a 6-2, 6-1 victory in the No. 4 singles match. Shung logged his second win of the day, beating Connor Biernat, 6-4, 6-1, in the No. 6 spot. Shung is 12-6 on the season with a perfect 4-0 mark at No. 6. The Thoroughbreds moved to the verge of clinching the match with a win at No. 2. Sergiu Celebidachi beat Harry Lyu, 6-3, 6-4, in the No. 2 spot. Hyat Oyer cut into the deficit for Hobart with a three-set victory over Tristan Thiebaut. Oyer won, 7-6 (7-5), 4-6, 6-3.
 
Skidmore clinched the overall victory with a win in the No. 3 singles spot. John Rado edged Sean Pesin in a marathon match. Rado took the first set 4-6 and Pesin won the second set 7-6 (7-0). In the third set, Pesin fought off two match points to pull even 6-6, but Rado squeaked out an 8-6 win in the tiebreaker. Winter Fagerberg and Portnoy split sets in the No. 1 spot, 0-6, 7-5 and Fagerberg was up 2-1 in the third set when the match was ended because Skidmore had the fifth point.