Courtesy Williams Sports Information

WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. – Defending national champions and No. 2 Williams College (17-2) started off their run in the NCAA tournament with a 6-1 defeat over No. 21 Vassar College (17-4). Vassar defeated Simmons College, 6-0, in the second round of the championship before running into the powerhouse Ephs.

Nikki Reich and Cary Gibson took court one, 8-5, over Nicole Pontee and Jamison Steele. Grace Baljon and Taylor French won their match at 8-4 on court two, as did Annie Hancock and Kristin Alotta at court three.

Williams struggled early on in singles play, which made their three doubles win pivotal. Cary Gibson fell at court two at the hands of Vassar’s Jennifer Beckerman, 6-2, 6-1. It was the only point of the day for Vassar, as Kristin Alotta proceeded to take a win at court four, and Grace Baljon and Annie Hancock finished their matches simultaneously to advance to the regional final tomorrow.

The Ephs will face off against conference foe Middlebury at noon tomorrow. The two teams have played each other twice already this season, with Williams taking both matches.

Williams 6, vs. Vassar 1

Doubles
1 - Gibson/Reich (Williams) def. Pontee/Steele (Vassar) - 8-5
2 - Baljon/French (Williams) def. Backer/Romita (Vassar) - 8-4
3 - Hancock/Alotta (Williams) def. Beckerman/Jacbson (Vassar) - 8-4

Singles
1 - Grace Baljon (Williams) def. Nicole Pontee (Vassar) -7-5, 6-3
2 - Jennifer Beckerman (Vassar) def. Cary Gibson (Williams) - 6-2, 6-1
3 - Nikki Reich (Williams) vs .Joy Backer (Vassar) - 1-6, 6-2, 4-3 DNF
4 - Kristin Alotta (Williams) def. Alexis Jacobson (Vassar) - 6-3, 6-3
5 - Elizabeth Anderson (Vassar) vs. Lucy Marchese (Williams) - 6-1, 5-6 DNF
6 - Annie Hancock (Williams) def. Jamison Steele (Vassar) - 6-1, 6-2