The Jeffs began their trip with a closely-contested 5-4 victory over DePauw University in the Elite Eight. Hadley Miller '06 and Wallis Molchen '04 keyed the Amherst victory as each posted wins in both singles and doubles. Miller won her fourth-flight singles match 6-1, 6-4 and then teamed with co-captain Roopali Agarwal '03 to earn an 8-2 victory in number two doubles.
Molchen notched a 6-4, 6-1 victory in the final singles position and an 8-2 win in the final doubles slot with Erin Murphy '05. Tristan Hedrick '05 had the most dominating performance of the afternoon, blanking her opponent in the third singles flight 6-0. 6-0. With the win, Amherst advanced to its fifth Final Four in six years.
Unfortunately for the Jeffs, they were unable to advance any further than the National Semifinals as they were bounced from the tournament by second-ranked Washington & Lee University by a 7-2 margin.
Hedrick and Molchen were the only two Jeffs to post victories.
Amherst was given an opportunity for redemption two days later as they faced off against arch-rival Williams College in the Third-place match. Both teams had scores to settle entering the competition as Amherst defeated Williams in both head-to-head matchups this year although Williams took home first place at the NESCAC Championships.
Once again, the two rivals battled hard in a closely contested match, but this time it was Williams' turn to end up on the winning side. Despite singles wins by Hedrick, Molchen and Rachel Holt '05 and another doubles victory by the Miller-Agarwal tandem, Amherst lost a 5-4 decision to their arch-rivals. The Jeffs were forced to settle with a respectable but not wholly satisfactory fourth-place finish.
"It was frustrating because we beat them twice before, but I think we have a good sense of what we need to do for next year," said Holt.
For Amherst's top-three singles players, Hedrick, Holt and Kristen Raverta '06, the season did not end with the loss to the Ephs, as the trio competed in the NCAA Singles Championships.
Holt was the only Jeff to advance past the first round, but she was dismissed in the second round by an opponent from Washington & Lee.
Holt and Hedrick also paired up for the NCAA Doubles Championship, but that venture ended in a second round defeat as well.