AMHERST, MA. – Despite the back-to-back
national championships and a number one ranking, a NESCAC
Championship has managed to escape the Williams women's
tennis since 2003. The Ephs (18-3, 8-0 NESCAC) have fallen at
the hands of Amherst (17-2, 7-1) in the conference title match for
the past five years, and the Lord Jeffs added a sixth straight
NESCAC title to their record books this afternoon in a 5-0 defeat
of a top-ranked and top-seeded Williams squad.
Both teams received a first-round bye as the top two seeds of
the tournament. Williams advanced to today's match with
a 5-1 win over Middlebury on Saturday. Amherst defeated
Tufts, 5-0, to meet the Ephs today. While yesterday's
matches were moved indoors due to rainy conditions, blistering cold
and high winds were not enough to force the match indoors, and the
two teams were forced to tough out the elements in this
afternoon's title match.
Williams avenged their fall loss to the Lord Jeffs this spring
in a conference contest on April 18, where the Ephs swept all three
doubles matches. This morning, the tables were turned as
Amherst took the first three matches to take a hefty 3-0 advantage
into singles play. Grace Baljon and Taylor French lost, 8-3,
at court one, while Williams' two and three pairs lost by
identical 8-5 scores.
“It was very windy and cold, and I was surprised we played
the match outdoors,” commented Williams head coach Alison
Swain. “We definitely had a slow start in
doubles. We did a good job of coming back in the matches, but
we weren't able to close them out.”
In singles play, most of the matches were highly contested, but
Amherst needed only two points to take the championship.
Kristin Alotta had defeated Amherst's Laura Danzig in a
three-set match on April 18, but Danzig avenged her loss and took
it to Alotta in straight sets. The Lord Jeff won at court
two, 6-4, 6-3. Nikki Reich fell at court three in straight
sets as well, as Amherst clinched the match in Carlissa
King's 6-1, 6-4 victory.
“What I was most proud of in singles play was how we came
out strong and played very well from the start, despite the
elements of wind and cold,” continued Swain. “It
was interesting tennis today, and even though we didn't play
our best we fought hard. This match gives up some things to
take with us as we head back to the courts to train this upcoming
week.”
While Amherst receives the automatic bid to the NCAA tournament,
the Ephs will most likely receive an at-large bid to the
Championships. While the Ephs have lost in the NESCAC title
match to their archrival Amherst for the past two years, Williams
women's tennis has responded quite nicely both
times—winning a national championship in 2008 and 2009.
Despite this afternoon's loss, Williams women's tennis
will look to do this same once more this spring.
Amherst 5, Williams 0
Doubles:
1) Brittany Berckes/Laura Danzig (AMH) def. Grace Baljon/Taylor
French (WIL) --- 8-3
2) Natasha Brown/Jill Wexler (AMH) def. Kristin Alotta/Nicole
Reich (WIL) --- 8-5
3) Caroline Richman/Carlissa King (AMH) def. Lucy
Marchese/Caroline Capute (WIL) --- 8-5
Singles:
1) Grace Baljon (WIL) vs. Brittany Berckes (AMH) --- 6-7, 3-3,
unfinished
2) Laura Danzig (AMH) def. Kristin Alotta (WIL) 6-4, 6-3
3) Carlissa King (AMH) def. Nicole Reich (WIL) 6-1, 6-4
4) Lucy Marchese (WIL) vs. Jill Wexler (AMH) 6-2, 5-7, 1-1,
unfinished
5) Nancy Worley (WIL) vs. Natasha Brown (AMH) 6-3, 2-1,
unfinished
6) Caroline Capute (WIL) vs. Laken King (AMH) 6-0, 1-6, 3-3,
unfinished
