Clearly, we love the Northeast women’s teams, so here’s our second in-depth QF preview featuring the Ephs and the Mammoths. This one’s a rivalry for the ages, and I’ve seen some phenomenal matches between these two in the past. The Ephs are heavily favored and should be in a good position to lock in their spot in the Final Four. Not much has changed in the last few weeks since these two teams played, and Williams has a tendency to peak at exactly the right time (here’s to hoping this year is no different!). Again, we’ve pulled together some quick profiles before adding some commentary on the individual matches. Let’s get to it!
Williams
Power 6: 57.76
Best wins: #3 CMS (5-4), #4 Midd (5-4 and 5-3), #5 Wesleyan (8-1)
Worst losses: NONE!!
Seniors: Juli Raventos (#1 singles/doubles), Mia Gancayco (#4/5 singles, #3 doubles), Julia Cancio (#5/6 singles, #1 doubles), Giulia McDonnell Nieto del Rio (#2/3 doubles)
Starting freshman: Rachel Cross was playing #2 singles/doubles, but seems to be out with an injury for the rest of the season
Where they are strongest: Doubles and #4-6 singles. Williams has some of the best depth in all of D3. When you have players with UTRs of 9.92, 9.61 and 9.12 anchoring your lineup (and that’s after losing their #2 singles to injury!), you know you are a formidable force to be reckoned with.
Where they are vulnerable: #2-3 singles. Since the lineup has shifted up with Cross being injured, Leah Bush and Chloe Henderson have been up and down at their respective spots in the lineup.
How they got here: An undefeated season, winning the NESCAC, and marching right through their regional with a 5-0 win over Hopkins to send them to California.
What would be considered a success: A 12th NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP!!!
Three words to describe this team: Gritty, hungry, dynasty.
Don’t forget: Last time Williams went undefeated (in 2015), they went on to win the National title with a 5-4 thriller over Emory
Amherst
Power 6: 54.18
Best wins: CMU (7-2), MIT (5-2), Bowdoin (6-3)
Worst losses: #1 Emory (6-3), #2 Williams (6-3), #4 Middlebury (6-3), #5 Wesleyan (7-2)
Seniors: Vickie Ip (#2 singles, #3 doubles), Avery Wagman (#6 singles, #1 doubles)
Starting freshman: None!
Where they are strongest: #1-3 singles. The Amherst top 3 are all incredibly talented players who can win any match they’re put into. But when I look at them versus a deep team like Williams, it’s tough to pick them as locks for wins.
Where they are vulnerable: Bottom of the lineup. Many teams rely on their #4-6 singles to anchor the team and lock up the win. Amherst, however, is more shaky at the bottom of their lineup, which is a huge vulnerability against deep teams like Williams.
How they got here: Beating UMW 5-0 in their regional final.
What would be considered a success: An upset win over Williams and spot in the Final Four (sadly, I think this is terribly unlikely).
Three words to describe this team: Fight, potential, shakey
Don’t forget: This is a rivalry match, and if there ever was a time for Amherst to step it up, it would be now.
Match rundown: Ah, one of the oldest rivalries in the country gets to play, yet again, on the NCAA stage. This will be the third time the Ephs battle the Mammoths this season (including their fall duel match), and although Williams has come away with easy wins both times, it’s always thrilling to watch a rivalry match. The only thing Amherst needs to watch out for is not being beat already going into the match. It’s easy to enter this match with that mindset, but that is absolutely the worst thing the Mammoths can do. As long as they come in with belief, I know this will be a match played with a lot of heart.
#1 doubles: Julia Raventos/Julia Cancio (Williams) vs. Anya Ivenitsky/Avery Wagman (Amherst)
ASW: Raventos and Cancio are too solid. Williams 8-4
NEW: Williams 8-6
D3Nameless: Raventos and Cancio are the #1 pair in the Northeast for a reason. They play incredibly well together and have the energy and intensity that is trademark for the Williams team. While Ivenitsky and Wagman did just earn an at-large berth into individuals, they have not put together the most stellar season, and will have trouble taking down the Eph pair. Williams wins 8-3.
#2 doubles: Giulia McDonnell Nieto del Rio/Korina Neveux (Williams) vs. Vickie Ip/Kelsey Chen (Amherst)
ASW: I think Amherst is going to take this one, just because I think Williams will lead 2-1 after doubles. Amherst 8-6
NEW: Amherst 8-5
D3Nameless: The Eph pairing has been building strength over the course of the season, and seem to be hitting their stride heading into Nationals. Ip and Chen play an aggressive game, and when they play lights out, they are tough to beat. If Amherst is going to take a point in doubles, it’ll be here, but I see the Ephs battling this one out to complete the sweep. Williams wins 9-7.
#3 doubles: Mia Gancayco/Chloe Henderson (Williams) vs. Camille Smuckler/Maddie Dewire (Amherst)
ASW: For some reason the William’s women’s tennis website doesn’t have a statistics page where I can look at all the season results at once so in my infinite ignorance I’m just going to copy my fellow bloggers since unfortunately I don’t know how either of these teams play. Williams 8-3.
NEW: Williams 8-5
D3Nameless: Both pairs have had very solid seasons this year, but the Eph duo of Henderson and Gancayco play an aggressive net game, which puts a lot of pressure on the Amherst sophomores. I pick the Williams pair to outlast the sophomore duo all day. Williams wins 8-4.
#1 singles: Juli Raventos (Williams) vs. Camille Smuckler (Amherst)
ASW: Smuckler is having the opposite of a sophomore slump, so this is going to be a very high level match. It won’t finish. Raventos will be leading 7-5, 2-3
NEW: 2-6 (A), 6-4 (W), 4-3
D3Nameless: SWING MATCH! In her four years, Raventos has undoubtedly been one of the top players in D3 (she is the only D3 player to beat Eudice!!), and after an up and down junior campaign, the Williams senior has put together a phenomenal final season. However, Smuckler has followed up an impressive freshman year with a very solid sophomore season. Both players are well positioned and have a history of battling each other at the top spot. Expect this match to go the distance (and go unfinished) with Williams leading 6-4, 1-0.
#2 singles: Leah Bush (Williams) vs. Vickie Ip (Amherst)
ASW: This is going to obviously be a close match. Williams was able to get the win at this spot in their previous two meetings but my fellow bloggers think Ip has the advantage. I think Bush is going to pull out a very close first set. Williams leads 7-6, 1-2
NEW: Amherst 6-4, 1-6, 6-4
D3Nameless: This is one of the few matches in which I’m giving Amherst the edge. Ip has been very up and down this year, but with this (maybe) being the final match of her career, I can see Ip taking the opportunity of playing a streaky Bush to eek out a win. However, Bush is a fighter, and she’ll keep Ip on court as long as she can to avoid losing the match, so I’m going to bet this match goes unfinished with Amherst leading 7-5, 3-0.
#3 singles: Chloe Henderson (Williams) vs. Kelsey Chen (Amherst)
ASW: I think Henderson is going to come up big this weekend. Again, I have no statistics to prove my random thoughts but I think she’ll clinch this match for her team. Williams 6-4, 6-4
NEW: Williams 6-3, 6-1
D3Nameless: While I did mention #3 singles as one of Williams’ weaker points, Henderson has been stepping it up tremendously as of late, whereas Chen seems to be in and out of the lineup (injury, perhaps?). With the momentum the Ephs have had of late, it’s easy to get swept up in the atmosphere, which will work hugely to the advantage of the Williams sophomore. Henderson might even surprise me and finish her match with a win, but I’m going to predict that when they call it, Williams leads 6-4, 2-1.
#4 singles: Mia Gancayco (Williams) vs. Maddie Dewire
ASW: I’m following suit with the other bloggers. Gancayco is a William’s strength. Williams 6-1, 6-4
NEW: Williams 6-2, 6-4
D3Nameless: Gancayco is one of the strongest #4 players in the country. She plays with a lot of heart and her incredible positivity on court has been crucial in battling her to some good wins (not to mention, it also drives her opponents up the wall). Dewire has had a pretty good season, but I just don’t see her topping the Williams senior. Williams wins 6-3, 6-2.
#5 singles: Julia Cancio (Williams) vs. Anya Ivenitsky
ASW: I don’t think this match will finish either but I can’t go against a William’s senior in good conscience. Williams leads 6-4, 2-2
NEW: Amherst leads 6-4, 6-5
D3Nameless: Ivenitsky has had a great season at #5 this year, but when coming up a formidable foe in Julia Cancio, I’m not sure she has it in her. Both play a similar consistency/grinding style game, so expect the points to be long and the competitiveness to run deep. I absolutely give the Williams senior the edge, but I don’t think she’ll close it out before one of her teammates clinch the match. Williams leads 6-3, 4-2.
#6 singles: Korina Neveux (Williams) vs. Avery Wagman (Amherst)
ASW: I think Neveux will get William’s 4th point. Williams 6-3, 6-2
NEW: Williams 6-2, 6-4
D3Nameless: Since returning to the team for her junior year, Neveux has been on fire and a rock at the bottom of the Williams lineup. Wagman, on the other hand, has struggled this season with some strong wins, but also some not so great losses. Riding the wave of the positive intensity coming out of the Eph team, I see Williams taking this 6-2, 6-2.
Overall prediction:
ASW: 5-1 Williams. I think Amherst will fight really hard in doubles but once singles starts, William’s depth will quickly become overwhelming. Even 3 singles matches is tough to win against a team that’s just so solid at every position, so unless Amherst pulls off that doubles sweep, this is William’s match to win.
NEW: 5-2 Williams
D3Nameless: Williams cruises to a 5-0 win.
As is the new norm, ASW here to finish up this article and get it posted. My fellow bloggers and I are obviously pretty excited about this NE powerhouse clash, though we are thinking that it won’t be as close this year as it has been in the past. Both teams have been in this spot before and know how to win in the late stages of the NCAA tournament, but for Williams winning is the norm and I think we would all be shocked if Amherst came away with the upset. However, as always I leave it to the rackets to do the talking! Let us know what you think in the comments and stay tuned for the rest of our previews tomorrow!