CHATTANOOGA, TN. — Amherst's Andreas Sillaste fell in the NCAA semifinals on Monday to Swarthmore's Michael Melnikov, 6–2, 6–2, at Champions Club. Unlike the rainy earlier rounds, the match was played fully outdoors, and Melnikov's strong serving and aggressive baseline game kept Sillaste from finding much rhythm.

MATCH HIGHLIGHTS
Melnikov set the tone early in the first set, earning the first break in the third game to move ahead 3–1. He then broke again at 4–2 to stretch the lead to 5–2, and that cushion was enough to take the opener 6–2.

The second set followed a similar pattern. Melnikov broke at 2–2, and although Sillaste had four break points in the next game that could have pulled him back to 3–3, Melnikov held for 4–2 and rolled from there to close out the match 6–2 again.
 

The loss ended Sillaste's nine-match winning streak and came after another deep national tournament run. It also earned him All-America honors in singles for the third year in a row.

UP NEXT
Sillaste ended the season with a semifinal run and a 25–9 singles record. He now turns toward his senior season with plenty of momentum after a strong national tournament showing.