Coming off the heels of a victory against the University of North Carolina, the Princeton Tigers searched for a string of victories at the 2026 ECAC Championships, a tournament they won in 2024 and hosted this year. The Orange and Black swept their way to the championship match on Sunday, where they faced Columbia, including senior standout Michael Zheng.
Princeton sweeps Dartmouth to reach the semifinals
On Friday evening, the Tigers matched up against the Big Green for a pivotal quarterfinal matchup. Although Dartmouth entered on a hot streak, having won six of their last seven dual matches, Princeton proved far too steady and composed for the visitors.
Princeton’s success began in doubles, where juniors Landon Ardila and Paul Inchauspe won 6–4 and junior Aleksandar Mitric paired up with senior Sebastian Sec to finish on top 7–5, securing the doubles point for the Tigers. In singles, it was more of the same. Sec, Mitric, and first-year Jordan Reznik all handled business in straightforward, straight-set victories to give Princeton a 4–0 victory over Dartmouth.
Princeton cruises past Penn to secure spot in championship
On day two of the ECAC tournament, the Tigers faced off against a familiar foe. Pennsylvania, fresh off of a 4–3 win against Harvard the previous day, came into the semifinal matchup eager to knock off the home side. Instead, the Orange and Black once again fired on all cylinders, earning another comfortable victory.
Ardila and Inchauspe continued their doubles dominance with a commanding 6–2 win. Sec and Mitric were ahead 5–4 and closing in on victory, but it ultimately didn’t matter, as fellow teammates, senior Top Nidunjianzan and sophomore Meecah Bigun, clinched the doubles point first with a decisive 6–3 win for Princeton.
In singles, the top and bottom of Princeton’s lineup delivered. Inchauspe and Nidunjianzan battled through tough opponents for straight-set wins, while Mitric controlled the six-spot with consecutive 6–4 sets. Princeton led in two of the three matches that were abandoned due to the 4–0 clinch in the dual matchup, paving the way for an immense wave of momentum heading into championship Sunday.
“We played outstanding doubles all weekend, and with Paul being one of the most dominant players in the country right now, that puts us up 2-0 against most teams if we earn the doubles point,” Head Coach Billy Pate told The Daily Princetonian.
Princeton defeats Columbia to take ECAC crown
On Sunday, the stage was set for a highly anticipated matchup between two squads vying for attention on the national stage. With two of the best college players in the country, Inchauspe of Princeton and Zheng of Columbia, paired with deep lineups on both sides, the championship was sure to provide a platform for a major inflection point in each team’s season. It delivered. Through twists, nail-biting finishes, and unforgettable performances, the Tigers secured a monumental 4–3 victory.
“We clearly had a great weekend and it was an event we certainly wanted to perform at our best,” Pate told the ‘Prince.’ “The key for us was to establish ourselves early in the event on Friday and Saturday. We knew if we made the final it would likely be against Columbia and it would take a great effort.”
Doubles once again set the tone. Despite a loss at No. 2, Princeton claimed the crucial point behind victories from Inchauspe and Ardila, who defeated a nationally ranked pair 6–4, and Sec and Mitric, who cruised 6–1 against another ranked duo.
On the singles side, the matchups proved to be an absolute dogfight across the board. Both teams traded early matches at the four and six singles spots, with Sec falling in straight sets and Mitric steamrolling to a 6–1, 6–1 victory, respectively.
“We also had guys step up throughout the lineup, particularly Aleks Mitric at No. 6,” Pate said to the ‘Prince.’ “He won each match in straight sets, and coupled with the success at doubles and the top of the lineup, that makes us tough to beat.”
Columbia evened the score at 2–2 after a three-set battle at No. 2 singles, shifting the pressure squarely onto the marquee matchups. Inchauspe faced Zheng in a highly anticipated rematch of their NCAA semifinal, while Ardila took on another ranked opponent.
Inchauspe struck first, taking the opening set before regrouping to win in three, avenging his earlier NCAA loss and delivering a pivotal point for the Tigers.
At No. 5 singles, sophomore Milan Markovits secured the first set before his Columbia opponent rallied to force a 3–3 deadlock. The championship came down to Ardila and Sachin Palta.
“Paul was excited to get a rematch versus Michael Zheng and winning that match really gave us a huge push for Landon to clinch the deciding point,” Pate said.
After dropping the first set in an incredibly tight tie-breaker, Ardila showed his resilience and responded with a 7–5 second-set victory. And, with everything on the line, Ardila left no doubt in the final set, winning 6–1 and clinching the championship for the Tigers.
“We’ve had some incredibly close matches that didn’t go our way against a few top 15 teams, so it’s a testament to how they stuck together and continued to believe,” Pate told the ‘Prince.’ “We have an opportunity to do some special things in the conference and nationally, but the work continues as we have four matches in two days this weekend we must be ready for.”
The Tigers will need to stay focused on the matches ahead, as they face Buffalo and Penn State at home on Saturday. With the momentum and confidence instilled in this team, however, there’s no doubt that Princeton will bring its A-game once again.
Lucas Nor is an associate Sports editor for the ‘Prince.’
Please send any corrections to corrections[at]dailyprincetonian.com.
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