CLAREMONT, CA – In their 12th consecutive NCAA semifinals appearance the Williams College women's tennis opened up a 2-1 lead after doubles play. Eph head coach Anik Cepeda juggled her doubles lineup today due to some health issues on the Eph squad.
The usual #3 Eph doubles pairing of Giulia McDonnell Nieto del Rio and Kori Neveux moved up to #2 doubles and
The duo of Mia Gancayco and Chloe Henderson were inserted at #3 doubles.
A pair of 8-1 doubles wins gave Williams a 2-1 advantage over Claremont Mudd Scripps (CMS) heading into the six singles matches.
First off the doubles courts with an 8-1 win was the Eph #3 doubles team of Mia Gancayco and Chloe Henderson who downed the Athenas' Lindsay Brown and Nicole Tan.
Williams went up 2-0 when the Ephs' #1 doubles team of seniors Juli Raventos and Julia Cancio mirrored the result of the Eph #3 team, winning 8-1.
CMS claimed the last doubles point to make the score 2-1 in favor of the Ephs when their #2 doubles duo of Catherine Allen and Caroline Cox emerged victorious over the Eph pairing of Giulia McDonnell Nieto del Rio/Korina Neveux, 8-5
The Ephs, however, would only win one singles match before the Athenas won four singles matches to close out Wiliams 5-3.
Eph senior Juli Raventos posted the lone singles win on the day when she took Nicole Tan in straight sets 6-4, 6-1. After the Raventos win CMS won four straight singles to end the Ephs' season. The Athenas' Lindsay Brown defeated Rachel Cross in straight sets 6-3, 6-4 and Caroline Cox also won in straight sets over Julia Cancio 6-3, 6-2 at #6.
Catherine Allen gave CMS their fourth point in the match when she downed Leah Bush 7-5, 6-3. Rebecca Berger won the clinching point by defeating Mia Gancayco 6-2, 6-4.
The win by the Athenas was their first ever over the Ephs in five tries in NCAA Tournament play and boosted their record on the year to 28-2, while the Ephs lost for the first time this year and finished 21-1.
The Ephs defeated CMS 5-4 on March 24 at CMS as part of the Williams' spring break west coast trip, but today was a different story.
"It's always tough to lose," said Eph first year head coach Anik Cepeda. "What the outsiders don't see is how much this team had to overcome to have a great season. We've taken a lot of hits and they have overcome them one after the other and I think that is what defines a season. Huge congratulations to CMS and their head coach Dave Schwartz for really bringing it today and using their home court advantage … they were just better today."
CMS 5, Williams 3
Doubles
1. Julia Cancio/Juli Raventos (W) def. Lindsay Brown/Nicole Tan (CMS) – 8-1
2. Catherine Allen/Caroline Cox (CMS) def. Giulia McDonnell Nieto del Rio/Korina Neveux (W) 8-5
3. Mia Gancayco/Chloe Henderson (W) def. Juliette Martin/Kyla Scott (CMS) – 8-1
Singles
1. Juli Raventos (W) def. Nicole Tan (CMS) – 6-4, 6-1
2. Catherine Allen (CMS) def. Rachel Cross (W)
3. Lindsay Brown (CMS) def. Leah Bush (W)
4. Chloe Henderson (W) vs. Kyla Scott (CMS) – 7-5, 4-5, unfinished
5. Rebecca Berger (CMS) def. Mia Gancayco (W) – 6-2, 6-4
6. Caroline Cox (CMS) def. Julia Cancio (W) – 6-2, 6-3
