Bowdoin Falls to Middlebury in Second Round of NCAA's

AMHERST, Mass. – Middlebury College earned a 5-3 win over Bowdoin College Saturday afternoon in the NCAA Division III Women’s Tennis Regional Championship Second Round, which was hosted by Amherst College. The Polar Bears end their season at 10-8, while the Panthers improve to 14-5 and will take on Amherst Sunday at 1 p.m. with a spot in the national quarterfinals on the line.

The third time was not a charm for the Polar Bears, who also fell to the Panthers during the regular season and in the NESCAC Championship. Middlebury took a 2-1 lead into singles play on Saturday, with Bowdoin’s lone point coming in the top doubles match as Emily Lombardi and Kellen Alberstone earned an 8-3 win over Jamie Haar and Alexandra McAtee.

After Brittney Faber and Leah Kepping defeated Bowdoin’s Nikki Kuna and Chantalle Lavertu at No. 3, the Panther duo of Victoria Aiello and Anna Burke took care of Brett Davis and Hannah Hoerner, 8-5, to give Middlebury a 2-1 advantage.

Burke gave Middlebury a 3-1 cushion with a 6-2, 6-1 win over Hoerner at No. 6, but Davis brought the Polar Bears’ deficit back to one with a 6-0, 6-4 victory against Faber in the No. 3 position. Kepping took care of Bowdoin’s Elizabeth Pedowitz at No. 5, 6-2, 6-1, but the Bears once again cut their deficit to one when Lombardi defeated McAtee in the second match, 6-3, 6-3, to make it 4-3 in favor of Middlebury.

With only two singles bouts remaining, Aiello sealed the deal for Middlebury with a 7-5, 7-5 win over Alberstone in the top match. When play was stopped, Haar was leading Lavertu in the second set, 5-4, after she won the first, 7-6.

Middlebury 5, Bowdoin 3
Doubles:
1. Emily Lombardi/Kellen Alberstone (BOW) def. Jamie Haar/Alexandra McAtee (MID) 8-3
2. Victoria Aiello/Anna Burke (MID) def. Brett Davis/Hannah Hoerner (BOW) 8-5
3. Brittney Faber/Leah Kepping (MID) def. Nikki Kuna/Chantalle Lavertu (BOW) 8-4

Singles:
1. Victoria Aiello (MID) def. Kellen Alberstone (BOW) 7-5, 7-5
2. Emily Lombardi (BOW) def. Alexandra McAtee (MID) 6-3, 6-3
3. Brett Davis (BOW) def. Brittney Faber (MID) 6-0, 6-4
4. Jamie Haar (MID) leading Chantalle Lavertu (BOW) 7-6, 5-4
5. Leah Kepping (MID) def. Elizabeth Pedowitz (BOW) 6-2, 6-1
6. Anna Burke (MID) def. Hannah Hoerner (BOW) 6-2, 6-1