Williams Women’s tennis team Look Strong in OpenerWilliams Sports Info
09:17AM / Monday, September 21, 2009
CAMBRIDGE, Mass. - The two-time defending National Champion Williams Women’s tennis team opened its fall season in fine fashion in the opening rounds of the Northeast Regional ITA tournament at MIT. Four Ephs advanced to the round of 16 in the singles bracket, while a pair of doubles teams advanced to the quarterfinals.
The ITA tournament is the biggest tournament of the fall, attracting the top teams from the region. Results from the tournament help determine national rankings for the spring season, and the competition provides a good benchmark early in the season. Champions of the regional tournament also qualify for a national ITA tournament later in the fall.
The Ephs wasted little time regaining their championship form. Head Coach Allison Swain said of the day: “I’m very excited. It’s the first contest of the fall and you never know exactly where we are.” She added that the women are very excited to have so many players still competing over the weekend.
Perhaps the highlight of the day came from first-year Nancy Worley. Worley defeated Nathalie Herman of Wellesley College 6-1, 6-2 to set up a showdown with Amherst’s Laura Danzig. Worley won a heated match in the tiebreak 6-4, 5-7 (12-10). Worley faces the #7 overall seed Tori Aiello of Middlebury tomorrow morning.
Senior Captain Grace Baljon, the #2 seed in the singles tournament, advanced easily. Baljon defeated Sabrina Salmela of Simmons College 6-1, 6-1 and Janice Lam of Tufts 6-2, 7-5. Baljon also advanced to the quarterfinals in the doubles draw with sophomore Taylor French. Third-seeded French and Baljon cruised past Liza Pope and Maggie Taylor of Simmons 8-0 in the opening round and Meg Anderson and Jacqui Holmes of Bates in the round of 16.
Sophomore Kristin Alotta, who earned All-NESCAC honors as a first-year, won both of her singles by defeating Katie Muto of Colby 6-0, 6-1 and Anika Fisher of Wesleyan 6-4, 6-2. Alotta and teammate Nikki Reich joined Baljon and French in the quarterfinals of the doubles draw. Reich and Alotta defeated Tori Aiello and Anna Burke of Middlebury 8-3 and the team of Nicole Pontee and Joy Backer of Vassar 8-2 en route to the quarterfinals. The two Williams teams would not meet until the finals.
Reich, a Junior, also advanced in the singles draw defeating Connecticut’s Becca Heupel 6-0, 6-0 and Tufts’ Edwina Stewart 6-3, 6-1. Reich earned All-American honors last year in doubles play, winning the 2008 regional ITA doubles crown with Cary Gibson. Gibson, the top player from last year’s championship team graduated last spring, but Reich hopes to capture another title this year playing alongside Alotta.
Also in action for the Ephs were Junior Lucy Marchese, Senior co-captain Ashley Parsons, and the doubles team of Marchese and Worley. Marchese easily topped Amy Shaw of Springfield College 6-2, 6-0 before falling in a hard-fought match to Bowdoin’s Chantaille Lavertu 6-2, 6-4. Parsons fell in the opening round to Wheaton’s Catherine Teague 6-4, 3-6 (11-9). Despite the heartbreak of a tiebreak loss, Parsons is still competing. She topped Middlebury’s Anna Burke 6-3, 6-0 in the first round of the consolation bracket to keep her tournament alive. The doubles team of Marchese and Worley defeated Bowdoin’s Kellen Alberstone and Brett Davis in dramatic fashion 9-8 (7-5) before falling just short against the fourth seeded team of Sarah Geocaris and Catherine Teague from Wheaton 9-8 (7-4). |
