Saturday, William and Mary faced off against Elon university in the Colonial Athletic Association Championship semifinals in North Carolina in a fight for a spot in Sunday’s finals. The Tribe (16-9) outplayed the Phoenix (14-13) in order to advance with a 4-2 victory.
In doubles, sophomore Rosie Cheng and senior Olivia Thaler dropped the match at the No. 2 spot to senior Olivia Lucas and senior Erica Braschi 7-6, 7-2. Sophomore Charlotte Madson and junior Clara Tanielian followed shortly with another loss at the No. 3 spot to junior Suzanne Zenoni and senior Kristen Ward 7-6, 8-6.
The match at the No. 1 spot was abandoned as the Phoenix claimed the doubles point. But despite a rocky start during doubles, the Tribe came back to claim four points during singles play.
Thaler made short work of Ward t the No. 6 spot to claim the first victory for the Tribe in a decisive two set match of 6-3, 6-2.
The Phoenix fought hard at the No. 4 spot and claimed their second and final point of the day, as Goodman dropped the set 6-2, 6-3 against Maria Paraja.
At the No. 5 spot, senior Ekaterina Stepanova swung the momentum back in favor of the Tribe to secure its second of four points for the day in a two-set match up against sophomore Alex Koniaev, as she won 6-3, 6-4.
Cheng followed up shortly with 7-6 and 6-2 victories against Lucas at the top spot.
Tanielian finished out the game with a three-set victory. After winning the first set 6-3 but dropping the second set 6-2, Tanielian came back in the third set with a 6-4 success over Zenoni to solidify the Tribe’s victory.
The Tribe will now advance to the CAA finals against James Madison University Sunday, April 22 at 2 p.m. This marks the 21st time in the past 24 years that the College has made it to the conference championship finals.
