BRUNSWICK, Maine - The Williams College women's tennis team held off a late Bowdoin rally to take a 5-3 win in the NESCAC Semifinals Saturday morning.
The Ephs improve to 19-1 on the season and will play the winner of Saturday's second semifinal match between Amherst and Middlebury. The Polar Bears fall to 14-6 and will likely receive an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament when selections are announced on Monday.
Williams took a key 2-1 lead in doubles play as their #2 pairing of Kathleen Elkins and Maria Pylpiv got on the board with a convincing 8-2 victory. The Ephs' #1 combo of Kara Shoemaker and Rebecca Curran earned a 8-4 win over Emma Lewis and Joulia Likhanskaia to push their advantage to 2-0 soon after. Bowdoin was able to bounce back with a victory at #3 as Pilar Giffenig teamed wiht Tiffany Cheng to take a 8-5 win over Alex Stone and Linda Shin.
The Ephs continued to build their lead in singles action as Pylpiv and Hannah Atkinson took quick straight-set wins at #3 and #6, respectively. Williams was on the brink of victory before Samantha Stalder won a second-set tiebreak against Curran at #4 to force a decisive third set. Meanwhile, at #1, Likhanskaia defeated Shoemaker with an impressive third-set, 6-3, 2-6, 6-1 and Emma Lewis further closed the gap with a three-set comeback win at #5, 1-6, 6-4, 6-2.
With Williams holding a slim 4-3 edge and two matches remaining, Curran rallied from a third-set deficit to edge Stalder 6-2, 6-7, 6-4, and clinch the match for the Ephs.
Williams 5, Bowdoin 3
Singles competition
1. Joulia Likhanskaia (BOW) def. Kara Shoemaker (WIL) 6-3, 2-6, 6-1
2. Linda Shin (WIL) vs. Tiffany Cheng (BOW) 3-6, 6-2, 4-1, unfinished
3. Maria Pylpiv (WIL) def. Kate Winingham (BOW) 6-4, 6-1
4. Rebecca Curran (WIL) def. Samantha Stalder (BOW) 6-2, 6-7, 6-4
5. Emma Lewis (BOW) def. Monica Pastor (WIL) 1-6, 6-4, 6-2
6. Hannah Atkinson (WIL) def. Kyra Silitch (BOW) 6-4, 6-4
Doubles competition
1. Kara Shoemaker/Rebecca Curran (WIL) def. Emma Lewis/Joulia Likhanskaia (BOW) 8-4
2. Kathleen Elkins/Maria Pylpiv (WIL) def. Kate Winingham/Samantha Stalder (BOW) 8-2
3. Pilar Giffenig/Tiffany Cheng (BOW) def. Alex Stone/Linda Shin (WIL) 8-5
