Courtesy Williams Sports Information

WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. - The Amherst College women's tennis team outlasted Williams in a hard-fought NESCAC Championship match Sunday, 6-3. The Ephs gained a 2-1 lead after doubles, but couldn't hold on to the lead as Amherst took five singles courts for the win.

Williams started off right in doubles. At court three Williams' Annie Hancock and Courtney Bartlett handled their Amherst opponents Laura Stein and Hadley Miller easily, Breezing to an 8-2 win. On court one, however, Cary Gibson and Annie Schneidman struggled. The Williams duo fought hard but eventually fell to Amhert's Kristen Raverta and Alicia Menzes, 8-4.

At doubles court two, Ephs Alex Maclennan and Allie Rottkamp were up against the Lord Jeffs' Monica Snyder and Jen Murphy. Playing for the lead going into singles, the Williams pair got down early. The Ephs played courageously as they fought back from a 6-3 deficit to take the match 8-6, and give Williams a 2-1 lead going into singles play.

With emotions running high, singles play commenced. At court one Maclennan went head to head with Amherst's Kristen Raverta. Maclennan played with steady confidence. As Maclennan made shot after shot, she forced Raverta to make the plays. Raverta had trouble keeping the ball inbounds early on, as Maclennan took the first set, 6-4. At court four first-year Annie Hancock also looked confident as she took the first set 6-1. However, the rest of the Ephs singles players dropped their first sets.

Then, things began to fall apart of the young Williams team. On court five, Allie Rottkamp suffered a loss to Amherst's Hadley Miller, 6-2, 7-5. Courtney Bartlett and Cary Gibson fell soon after, both in straight sets. Despite Gibson's push late in the second set she couldn't come back. The losses put the Ephs down 4-2 and Amherst just one win away from winning the NESCAC championship.

At court four, Annie Hancock took a win in straight sets to keep the Ephs hopes alive, but wouldn't prove to be enough. Schneidman suffered her first loss since returning from spring break to give Amherst the fifth point they needed to steal the NESCAC crown.

Although the match was decided, Alex Maclennan and Kristen Raverta finished a highly competitive match. Ultimately Raverta won in a very close third set.

Amherst 6, Williams 3

Doubles
1 - Kristen Raverta/Alicia Menzes (Amherst) def. Cary Gibson/Annie Schneidman (Williams) - 8-4
2 - Alex Maclennan/Allie Rottkamp (Williams) def. Monica Snyder/Jen Murphy (Amherst) - 8-6
3 - Courtney Bartlett/Annie Hancock (Williams) def. Laura Stein/Hadley Miller (Amherst) - 8-2

Singles
1 - Kristen Raverta (Amherst) def. Alex Maclennan (Williams) - 4-6, 6-2, 7-5
2 - Alicia Menzes (Amherst) def. Courtney Bartlett (Williams) - 6-4, 6-4
3 - Monica Snyder (Amherst) def. Cary Gibson (Williams) - 6-3, 6-4
4 - Annie Hancock (Williams) def. Jen Murphy (Amherst) - 6-1, 6-2
5 - Hadley Miller (Amherst) def. Allie Rottkamp (Williams) - 6-2, 7-5
6 - Katie Hudson (Amherst) def. Annie Schneidman (Williams) - 7-5, 6-4

2006 NESCAC WOMEN'S TENNIS CHAMPIONSHIP
Friday, April 28, through Sunday, April 30, at Williams, Williamstown, Mass.