The women’s tennis team opened the fall season with a strong showing at the 2008 Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) New England Championships at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Leading the way for the Jeffs was a familiar face, junior Brittany Berckes, who advanced to the semifinals in both singles and doubles.

“I think this weekend went well,” said sophomore Natasha Brown. “[Each] player tested a top player and proved that [she is] a contender to be one of the best tennis players in the NESCAC this year.”

Brown and Berckes came in as the number two seed in the doubles bracket, blowing through the competition up to the semifinal round. However, the duo narrowly missed reaching the finals, losing to the number-one team from Tufts University in an incredibly close 9-8 (13-11) decision.

In other doubles action, Laura Danzig ’12 and Jill Wexler ’10 proved that they have the potential to be a very strong number-two doubles team. The pair reached the quarterfinal round with ease, and almost pulled off a big upset against the number-one seeded team from Williams, losing 9-8 (7-2).

Also representing Amherst, sophomore Carlissa King and junior Anuja Ankola won 8-2 in their opening match, but fell 8-4 in the second round. “The determination of all our doubles teams really showed through this weekend, especially with Jill and L.D. almost beating the number one seed,” said Berckes. “With each team doing so well, it motivated all of us to play better and fight harder in all of our matches.”

Although Amherst did not send anyone to the finals in singles, the team proved that its lineup should be one of the deepest in the NESCAC. Berckes entered the tournament as the second seed and won her first three matches in straight sets. The junior received her first challenge from sixth-seeded Nicole Pontee of Vassar College. Berckes dropped the first set 1-6, but stormed back to win the next two sets 6-3, 6-1. However, in the semifinal round, she narrowly lost to the third seeded Leslie Hansen of MIT, falling 2-6, 6-3, 7-6(4).

Brown and sophomore Laken King both reached the quarterfinals for the Jeffs. Brown almost knocked off the number one seed, Cary Gibson of Williams College, but instead lost the close match 7-5, 4-6, 6-3. King’s showing was also very strong, as she fell to the number three seed after winning her first three matches. In the third round, King knocked off the number seven seed, earning a 6-3, 6-1 victory. “I think the fact that we had the most players advance to the most rounds—in singles and in doubles—really shows the amount of depth our team has this year,” says Berckes. “Our underclassmen had no problem stepping it up and providing immense competition for every player that they played. It’s made me that much more confident that we will go very far this year.”

The near-upsets did not stop there, as Danzig fell 4-6, 6-2, 10-8 to the number-three seed, and Carlissa King fell to the number-six seed, also in three sets, 6-2, 4-6, 10-4.

Although the Jeffs did not leave MIT with an individual championship in the singles or doubles, they proved just how strong and deep they are. In singles play, Carlissa and Laken King, Danzig, Brown and Berckes all made noise, taking top seeds and other schools’ number one players to three sets.

“I think we are proud, but not satisfied,” said Brown of the weekend. “We still have some work to do and want to be the outright best team this year.”