Washington and Lee University
SAINT PETER, Minn. -- Williams College ended the Washington and Lee women’s tennis team’s title defense as they captured the 2008 NCAA Division III National Championship with a 5-4 win over W&L on Thursday afternoon in Saint Peter, Minn. Nicole Reich of Williams defeated senior Leah Weston (Colorado Springs, Colo./Air Academy) at No. 4 singles (6-2, 5-7, 6-1) to give the Ephs the win.
The No. 3 doubles pair of freshman Virginia Dickinson (Memphis, Tenn./St. Mary’s Episcopal) and senior Kelly Will (Holly Springs, N.C./Cary Academy) gave the Generals their first point of the match as they defeated Nicole Reich and Annie Hancock, 8-3. Williams tied the contest with a win at No. 2 doubles, but the tandem of junior Katie Tabb (Minneapolis, Minn./Edina) and sophomore Lauren Caire (Nashville, Tenn./Harpeth Hall) defeated Cary Gibson and Annie Schneidman, 8-3, to give the Blue and White a 2-1 advantage leading into singles.
In singles, Grace Baljon defeated Will, 6-2, 6-0, at No. 2 singles and Ashley Parsons topped Caire, 7-6 (2), 6-0, at No. 3 singles to give Williams a 3-2 edge. W&L knotted the contest at 3-3 with a win from senior Rebecca Timmis (Peachtree City, Ga./McIntosh) at No. 5 singles, 6-4, 6-1, over Rottkamp. The Ephs took the lead again with Gibson edging out Tabb, 2-6, 6-4, 6-3, at No. 1 singles, but the Generals would again tie the match (4-4) with junior Meg Spalitta’s win at No. 6 singles (5-7, 6-1, 6-1) over Hancock . However, it wasn’t enough as Reich pulled out the three-set victory to give Williams the championship.
The Generals, who saw 40-match winning streak come to end with the loss, complete the season with a 28-1 record, while Williams improved to 21-3 as it claimed its first title since 2002.
Will, Caire and Tabb will compete in the first round of the individual championship on Friday morning, while the tandem of Caire and Tabb will also be in action in the first round of the doubles action on Friday morning.
3 Williams College 5, #1 Washington & Lee University 4
May 15, 2008 at St. Peter, Minn.
| Singles competition |
| 1. Cary Gibson (WILL) def. Katie Tabb (W&L) 2-6, 6-4, 6-3 |
| 2. Grace Baljon (WILL) def. Kelly Will (W&L) 6-2, 6-0 |
| 3. Ashley Parsons (WILL) def. Lauren Caire (W&L) 7-6 (7-2), 6-0 |
| 4. Nicole Reich (WILL) def. Leah Weston (W&L) 6-2, 5-7, 6-1 |
| 5. Rebecca Timmis (W&L) def. Allison Rottkamp (WILL) 6-4, 6-1 |
| 6. Meg Spalitta (W&L) def. Annie Hancock (WILL) 5-7, 6-1, 6-1 |
| Doubles competition |
| 1. Lauren Caire/Katie Tabb (W&L) def. Cary Gibson/Annie Schneidman (WILL) 8-3 |
| 2. Grace Baljon/Allison Rottkamp (WILL) def. Catherine Reed/Leah Weston (W&L) 8-6 |
| 3. Virginia Dickinson/Kelly Will (W&L) def. Nicole Reich/Annie Hancock (WILL) 8-3 |
| Match Notes |
| Williams College 21-3; National ranking #3 |
| Washington & Lee University 28-1; National ranking #1 |
| Order of finish: Doubles (3,2,1); Singles (2,3,5,1,6,4) |
| Williams wins third NCAA Title. |
~ Generals ~