Courtesy Amherst Sports Information

LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. – The Amherst College women’s tennis team used a 6-0 win over Gustavus Adolphus College Tuesday afternoon in the NCAA Championship quarterfinals to advance to the national semifinals for the ninth time in program history. The Lord Jeffs will take on the University of Chicago Wednesday at 2 p.m. at the Collins Hill Athletic Club in Lawrenceville, Georgia.

In Wednesday’s other semifinal match, Williams College will take on Emory University at 9 a.m. Both of Wednesday’s matches will feature live updates on Amherst’s Championship Website.

Amherst (20-1) increased its winning streak to 20 matches to mark the third 20-win season of head coach Jackie Bagwell’s career. The Lord Jeffs are in the midst of their most successful season since 1999, when they won the national title with a 20-0 record.

During their current streak, the Jeffs have earned 12 wins over teams currently ranked in the ITA Top 25. Making its 15th straight NCAA Championship appearance, Amherst has now advanced to the national quarterfinals 14 times and to the semifinals nine times.

The Jeffs improved to 3-1 against Gustavus in NCAA Championship history. The last time these teams met was in 2007, when Amherst earned a 5-4 win in the national quarterfinal round.

Gustavus Adolphus entered Tuesday’s match riding an 11-match winning streak, during which the Gusties had posted an incredible 32-1 record in doubles play. Amherst was apparently unfazed, as the Jeffs took all three doubles points to carry a significant lead into singles action. The third doubles point came down to the #2 matchup between Mimi Bell (Cleveland, Ohio) and Anuja Ankola (Scarsdale, N.Y.) of Amherst and the Gustavus pair of Erica Dobson and Ali O’Neal, with the Lord Jeffs earning a 9-7 victory to mark the clean sweep.

Earning an impressive 8-2 win in the #1 doubles match were Brittany Berckes (Secaucus, N.J.) and Natasha Brown (Woodland Hills, Calif.), who later this week will team up to compete in the NCAA Individual Championship Tournament. Picking up an 8-5 win in the #3 matchup were junior Jill Wexler (Beverly, Mass.) and first-year Laura Danzig (Allendale, N.Y)., who defeated Marianne Barau and Megan Gaard.

Amherst’s momentum carried over into singles play, as the Jeffs picked up three wins and were leading in the other three matches when play was suspended. Picking up the team’s fourth point was Carlissa King (Laurelton, N.Y)., who defeated Gaard in the #2 slot, 6-4, 6-0.

Finishing simultaneously to account for the 6-0 final score were Wexler and Laken King (Laurelton, N.Y.), who were impressive at #3 and #5, respectively. Just as Wexler put the finishing touch on her 6-1, 6-4 win over Ali O’Neal, Laken King sealed off her 6-2, 6-2 victory over Barau.

When play was suspended, Brown held a commanding 6-4, 5-0 lead over Samantha Frank at #4. Bell picked up a 6-0 first-set win over Dobson and led 3-2 in the second set, while Berckes won her first set, 6-4, and was trailing 2-1 in the second.

Amherst will be looking to make its fourth appearance in the NCAA title match, as the Jeffs finished as the runners-up in 2004 and 2007 after winning the championship in 1999. Amherst is 33-17 all-time in NCAA Championship play.

Amherst 6, vs. Gustavus Adolphus 0

Doubles
1 - Brittany Berckes/Natasha Brown (Amherst) def. Sierra Krebsbach/Samantha Frank (Gustavus Adolphus) - 8-2
2 - Mimi Bell/Anuja Ankola (Amherst) def. Erica Dobson/Ali O’Neal (Gustavus Adolphus) - 9-7
3 - Jill Wexler/Laura Danzig (Amherst) def. Marianne Barau/Megan Gaard (Gustavus Adolphus) - 8-5

Singles
1 - Brittany Berckes (Amherst) vs. Sierra Krebsbach (Gustavus Adolphus) - 6-4, 1-2 DNF
2 - Carlissa King (Amherst) def. Megan Gaard (Gustavus Adolphus) - 6-4, 6-0
3 - Jill Wexler (Amherst) def. Ali O’Neal (Gustavus Adolphus) - 6-1, 6-4
4 - Natasha Brown (Amherst) vs. Samantha Frank (Gustavus Adolphus) - 6-4, 5-0 DNF
5 - Laken King (Amherst) def. Marianne Barau (Gustavus Adolphus) - 6-2, 6-2
6 - Mimi Bell (Amherst) vs. Erica Dobson (Gustavus Adolphus) - 6-0, 3-2 DNF