Courtesy Williams Sports Information

WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. – Top-seeded Amherst came away with their fifth consecutive NESCAC Women's Tennis Championship as the Jeffs defeated second-seeded Williams 5-4 for the second time this season. After falling behind 2-1 after the doubles matches, Amherst won four of the six singles matches for the 2009 title. With the victory, the Jeffs earned an automatic berth in the 2009 NCAA Tournament.

In doubles, Williams’ Nikki Reich and Cary Gibson lost at court one to Brittany Berckes and Natasha Brown, 8-6. Taylor French and Grace Baljon paired up at court two for a dominant 8-2 showing, while Kristin Alotta and Annie Hancock put the Ephs up with an 8-6 win at court three.

Amherst responded well to the deficit, winning the first two singles matches to go ahead 3-2. Laken King defeated Lucy Marchese, 6-0, 7-5, while Baljon fell at court one to Berckes, 6-1, 6-2. The last time Baljon and Berckes met, Baljon came out on the winning end in a thrilling three set match but couldn’t overpower Amherst’s number one player in today’s contest.

Annie Hancock evened the match at three apiece, winning in straight sets over Amelia Bell at court six, 6-3, 6-2. The tie was short lived as Reich fell at court three. Reich had appeared to be in the driver’s seat of her match, winning at love in the first set. Amherst’s Jill Wexler rebounded to take the final two sets. Kristin Alotta knotted up the score once more, cruising to a 6-1 second set to take the match at court four over Natasha Brown.

Amherst’s Carlissa King won the decisive fifth point for her squad, when after a 4-4 tie, she kept her cool when serving for the match to close out a 6-2 third set in a three-set battle with Gibson. Gibson had taken the second set, 7-5, but could not keep up her momentum in the final frame.

Doubles
1 - Brittany Berckes/Natasha Brown (Amherst) def. Nikki Reich/Cary Gibson (Williams) - 8-6
2 - Taylor French/Grace Baljon (Williams) def. Kristin Alotta/Amelia Bell (Amherst) - 8-2
3 - Kristin Alotta/Annie Hancock (Williams) def. Laura Danzig/Jill Wexler (Amherst) - 8-6

Singles
1 - Brittany Berckes (Amherst) def. Grace Baljon (Williams) - 6-1, 6-2
2 - Carlissa King (Amherst) def. Cary Gibson (Williams) - 6-2, 5-7, 6-2
3 - Jill Wexler (Amherst) def. Nikki Reich (Williams) - 0-6, 6-4, 6-3
4 - Kristin Alotta (Williams) def. Natasha Brown (Amherst) - 7-6 (3), 6-1
5 - Laken King (Amherst) def. Lucy Marchese (Williams) - 6-0, 7-5
6 - Annie Hancock (Williams) def. Amelia Bell (Amherst) - 6-3, 6-2

2009 NESCAC WOMEN’S TENNIS CHAMPIONSHIP
First Round - Friday, May 1 at Williams
No. 4 Tufts 5, vs. No. 5 Bowdoin 0
No. 3 Middlebury 5, vs. No. 6 Trinity 1

Semifinals - Saturday, May 2 at Williams
No. 1 Amherst 5, vs. No. 4 Tufts 2
No. 2 Williams 5, vs. No. 3 Middlebury 0

Championship - Sunday, May 3 at Williams
No. 1 Amherst 5, vs. No. 2 Williams 4