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Williams Women's Tennis Reaches NCAA Semifinals
10:54PM / Monday, May 23, 2016
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KALAMAZOO, Mich. – The Williams College women's tennis team (21-3) advanced to its ninth consecutive NCAA Division III semifinal under ninth-year head coach Alison Swain by registering a 5-0 win over the Chicago Maroons (13-6) in a match played on the campus of Kalamazoo College.
 
The Ephs opened the match by sweeping the doubles points to establish a 3-0 lead heading into singles.
 
The Ephs' top tandem of Juli Raventos and Linda Shin were the first pair off the court, notching and 8-0 win over the Chicago duo of Rachel Kim and Lucy Tang. After the team portion of the NCAA Tournament concludes Raventos and Shin will go to work and try and defend the NCAA Doubles Title they won a year ago.
 
The team of Julia Cancio and Hannah Atkinson playing at number two was next off the court when they recorded an 8-4 win over Chicago's Tiffany Chen and Stephanie Lee.
 
Maya Hart and Giulia McDonnell Nieto del Rio claimed the third point for the Ephs at number three, where they downed Ariana Iranpour and Courtney Warren 8-4.
 
In all three doubles matches the Ephs opened up a 3-0 lead to start and the match, putting Chicago on its heels early.
 
"The team handled the evening match time really well,” Swain said. "We had a great warm up and really started strong on all three doubles courts.
 
"Chicago fought hard and made some good adjustments, and I think our team showed good composure and determination to close out sets and matches.”
 
The Ephs clinched the match with straight set wins at six singles by Giulia McDonnell Nieto del Rio and at five singles where Leah Bush prevailed.
 
McDonnell Nieto del Rio defeated Chicago's Stephanie Lee 6-2, 6-1 to give the Ephs a 4-0 lead in the match.
 
Leah Bush delivered the fifth and deciding point in the match when she posted a straight sets win over Kaela Bynoe 6-1, 6-3.
 
With the win the Ephs extended their season win streak to eight, snapped the Maroons' streak at three. Chicago finished the year with a record 13-6.
 
This marks the third time the Ephs have defeated Chicago in the NCAA tournament and the win upped the Ephs' Division III leading all-time win total to 75. Williams is now 75-14 in the NCAA Tournament.
Under Swain, Williams is now 42-1 in NCAA Tournament play and the Ephs are riding a nine-match tourney win streak.
 
The Ephs will return to Stowe Stadium on Tuesday to play the winner of Monday’s late match between Bowdoin and Claremont-Mudd-Scripps.
 
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