The Ephs, who came into the match as the ITA’s top-ranked team after winning another national championship last season, lost for the 16th time in their last 21 meetings with the Jeffs, who now lead the all-time series 32-23.
First-years Jordan Brewer and Gabby Devlin continued their rampage through NESCAC competition in the first match of the afternoon, making quick work of the Ephs’ top pairing, 8-1. Brewer, who has looked unbeatable in losing only one of her collegiate matches thus far, demystified the duo’s success: “Gabby and I practiced really intensely the week before we played Williams and our hard work definitely paid off in our match.”
In the next match, Natasha Brown ’11 and Laura Danzig ’12 lost a roller coaster match in which they had fought their counterparts for a 5-4 lead before finally falling 8-6. But Mimi Bell ’11 and Jennifer Newman ’14 picked up their teammates in the final doubles match of the day, as they surged to an 8-4 win.
Williams tied up the dual match score at two all after senior Laken King lost in straight sets, 6-0, 6-1. Carlissa King ’11 picked up the slack at No. 4 with a 6-4, 6-3 shellacking of her opponent and reestablished the Amherst lead at 3-2. Brewer maintained her dominance in her singles match against Kristin Alotta, the Eph whom she had previously defeated in the ITA Regionals for the singles title. She cruised past the junior 6-3, 6-3.
After sophomore Caroline Richman dropped her No. 5 match 6-1, 6-3, Devlin gave the Jeffs their first victory on the season by securing the Amherst victory with her 6-1, 6-3 win over the opposition. Danzig, who played in the next match, battled her opponent deep into the first set, before losing it, and ultimately the match, 7-6(1), 6-2, which left the score for the dual match at 5-4 in favor of the Jeffs.
The teams will not be meeting again until the spring — a point that was not lost on C. King: “Every win is important and helps boost the team morale, but it is only the beginning of the season, and we cannot dwell on one win over Williams,” she said. The team, according to her, has several ways in which it can improve, including “making our lovely freshies feel welcome,” as they have become an integral part of what looks to be a dangerous team. The Jeffs will next head out to Middlebury on Sunday to take part in the Gail Smith Doubles Tournament.