Courtesy Williams Sports Information

CARY, N.C. - Defending NCAA champion Williams (22-2) will face Emory (18-5) in the semifinals of the NCAA Women's Tennis Tournament on Tuesday at 12:30 p.m. following a 5-1 decision over Claremont-Mudd-Scripps on Monday at the Cary Tennis Center.

The Ephs and the Eagles met on March 23rd at the Fab 5 Tournament in Lexington, Virginia, with Williams squeezing out a 5-4 win.

All three doubles matches were tightly contested. First off the courts were Kristin Alotta and Kathleen Elkins at second doubles. The match was tied 5-5, but Alotta and Elkins won three of the final four points to give Williams a 1-0 lead.

At three doubles, Caroline Capute and Rebecca Curran were also tied, 4-4, mid-way through their match. The pair outlasted Chloe Dobbert and Jaclyn Smrecek, 9-7, for a 2-0 lead. Taylor French and Kara Shoemaker made the sweep official by winning their own battle at first doubles, 9-7.

Needing only two singles matches to clinch a spot in the semifinals, several Ephs got off to great starts in the first set. Shoemaker posted a 6-1 win at second singles, Nancy Worley won 6-2 at third singles, Kathleen Elkins won 6-0 at four singles and first-year Maria Pylypiv made quick work of her opponent, 6-0.

Despite playing in her first NCAA Tournament match, Pylypiv didn't slow down, taking the second set 6-0 for a 6-0, 6-0 victory over Smrecek. Kristin Lim put CMS on the board when she downed Alotta at first singles, 6-2, 6-0, but both Shoemaker and Worley closed in on victories at two and three, respectively. It was Shoemaker who clinched the victory, battling back from a 5-2 deficit in the second set to win 7-5 and close out her 6-1, 7-5 win and a 5-1 victory for the Ephs.

NOTES: Ephs' head coach Allison Swain had her record go to 23-0 in NCAA Tournament play with the win.

Williams 5, Claremont-Mudd-Scripps 1

Singles
1. Kristin Lim (CMCW) def. Kristin Alotta (WILW) 6-2, 6-0
2. Kara Shoemaker (WILW) def. Crystal Lim (CMCW) 6-1, 7-5
3. Nancy Worley (WILW) vs. Sarah Kukino (CMCW) 6-2, 2-6, 5-5, unfinished
4. Kathleen Elkins (WILW) vs. Jessie Huang (CMCW) 6-0, 3-4, unfinished
5. Caroline Capute (WILW) vs. Chloe Dobbert (CMCW) 2-6, 5-0, unfinished
6. Maria Pylpiv (WILW) def. Jaclyn Smrecek (CMCW) 6-0, 6-0

Doubles
1. Taylor French/Kara Shoemaker (WILW) def. Kristin Lim/Jessie Huang (CMCW) 9-7
2. Kristin Alotta/Kathleen Elkins (WILW) def. Crystal Lim/Sarah Kukino (CMCW) 8-6
3. Caroline Capute/Rebecca Curran (WILW) def. Chloe Dobbert/Jaclyn Smrecek (CMCW) 9-7

Match Notes:
Order of finish: Doubles (2,3,1); Singles (6,1,2)