Top-ranked Ephs take down #2 Washington and Lee, 5-4
Nikki Reich '11
ATLANTA, GA. - In a rematch of last year's championship match, #1 Williams showed why they are the team to beat this season in Division III women's tennis, defeating #2 Washington and Lee, 5-4. Four of the last six matches between the Ephs and the Generals have ended in 5-4 results, including last year's title match and today's contest, in which Williams came out on the winning end.
Playing on a neutral court at Emory University, all three doubles matches ended in a fairly lopsided result. Williams' number one pair fell, 8-2, while Grace Baljon and Taylor French, and Genny Loomis and Kristin Alotta, won 8-2 marks as well. The 2-1 doubles was critical for the Ephs, as Washington and Lee would proceed to take four of the six singles matches.
Fortunately, Williams clinched the win early on. Kristin Alotta took the third point for the Ephs, defeating Jen Snyder 6-3, 6-3. Nikki Reich, the hero of last year's championship match against the Generals, contributed with a win at court three for the fourth point. Ashley Parsons sealed the Ephs' eighth win of the season with a three set win at court five. The Williams junior lost the second set, before dealing a 6-0 blow to the Generals' Laura Pattillo.
The remaining singles matches went the distance, with Washington and Lee taking all three of the final matches. Williams' Cary Gibson won the first set, 6-2, before falling in three, while Annie Hancock evened her match in the second set, but couldn't convert in the third. Grace Baljon played a three-hour marathon match at court one, but fell to Katie Tabb of Washington and Lee.
While this ongoing battle between the two programs has thrived in recent years, Williams has tried to approach this match as they do all others.
"It's an important match for us," commented Williams' head coach Alison Swain. "But anytime we are playing a top team, it's important for us. We take seriously every opponent that we play. For me, this was a great match because it helps me to see what we have to work on to get better."
The Ephs have a small break before playing their final two matches of spring break next week against Augusta State and Emory. The Augusta State match is set for April 2 at 9:00 a.m.
Williams 5, Washington and Lee 4
Doubles-
1) Katie Tabb/Lauren Caire (WL) def. Cary Gibson/Nikki Reich (W) --- 8-2
2) Grace Baljon/Taylor French (W) def. Ellen Yeatman/Meg Spalitta (WL) --- 8-2
3) Genny Loomis/Kristin Alotta (W) def. Trelsie Sadler/Ann Morris (WL) --- 8-2
Singles-
1) Tabb (WL) def. Baljon (W) --- 6-4, 3-6, 6-4
2) Yeatman (WL) def. Gibson (W) --- 2-6, 6-3, 6-1
3) Reich (W) def. Sadler (WL) --- 6-4, 6-2
4) Alotta (W) def. Jen Snyder (WL) --- 6-3, 6-3
5) Ashley Parsons (W) def. Laura Pattillo (WL) --- 6-4, 4-6, 6-0
6) Spalitta (WL) def. Annie Hancock (W) --- 6-3, 4-6, 6-1
