Amherst Captures NESCAC Women's Tennis Championship

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

2009 NESCAC WOMEN'S TENNIS CHAMPIONSHIP
Hosted by Williams College - Friday-Sunday, May 1-3

Schedule of Matches
First Round - Friday, May 1
1:00 p.m.
No. 6 vs. No. 3
No. 5 vs. No. 4

Semifinals - Saturday, May 2
1:00 p.m.
Winner of No. 5/No. 4 vs. No. 1
Winner of No. 6/No. 3 vs. No. 2

Championship - Sunday, May 3
1:00 p.m.
Semifinal Winners

Format
The top six teams in the conference shall qualify for the championship.  The championship is a single-elimination tournament with no consolation matches.  The No. 1 seed and No. 2 seed shall receive a first round bye.  All matches will be played to conclusion unless there is inclement weather or other extenuating circumstances that the tournament committee believes warrants playing to decision.

Inclement Weather (Tentative)
In foul weather, the men's No. 4/No. 5 match will begin at 8:00 a.m. inside.  Additional matches will begin one half hour after the completion of the previous match.  The men's No. 3/No. 6 match will follow the No. 4/No. 5 match, followed by women's No. 4/No. 5 and women's No. 3/No. 6.  On Saturday in foul weather, the men's top half semifinal (winner No. 4/No. 5 match vs. No. 1) will begin at 8:00 a.m. inside.  Additional matches will begin one half hour after the completion of the previous match.  The men's bottom half semifinal (winner No. 3/No. 6 match vs. No. 2) will go on second, followed by the women's top half semifinal and then the bottom half semifinal.  On Sunday in foul weather, the men's championship match will start at 9:00 a.m.  The women's match will begin at 1:00 p.m. or one half hour after completion of the men's final, whichever is later.

Selection
Teams will be selected and seeded based on the following criteria (not in priority order):

• NESCAC win-loss record
• NESCAC head-to-head with tied team(s)
• Wins/losses against other common NESCAC opponents
• Wins/losses against other common non-conference opponents

Tournament Committee
There will be separate men's and women's tournament committees consisting of four coaches each. Committee membership will rotate annually based on an alphabetical rotation. 

Announcement
The tournament committee will notify schools (and the Conference office) of the participating teams and seeding for the tournament.  Participating teams and seeding will be posted on the NESCAC web site after the committee has determined the final seeding and the appeal period has concluded.