BRUNSWICK, Maine — The Middlebury College women’s tennis team will make its 11th trip to the NCAA Division III tournament in the last 12 years this weekend, when the 10-7 Panthers travel to Bowdoin for an NCAA regional from May 9-11.
On Saturday, Middlebury will take on the winner of a Friday match between Colby-Sawyer and the College of New Jersey. Also on Saturday Bowdoin will face the winner of a Friday match between the Wilkes and Bridgewater State winner. The Saturday winners meet in the regional final on Sunday.
The Panthers’ NESCAC title hopes were dashed this past Saturday, when Amherst (17-3), the No. 3 team in NCAA D-III, topped them, 5-3, at match hosted by Bowdoin.
In doubles, Amherst’s Zoe Pangalos and Jen Newman won, 8-3 over Middlebury’s Lily Bondy and Alexandra Fields at No. 2. The Jeffs grabbed a 2-0 lead when the No. 1 tandem of Jordan Brewer and Gabby Devlin posted an 8-4 victory against Panthers Ria Gerger and Kaysee Orozco. At No. 3, the Panthers cut the lead in half with a 9-7 victory by Lauren Amos and Margot Marchese over Amherst’s Safi Ali and Sarah Monteagudo.
In singles, Bondy tied the match at 2-2 with a 6-0, 6-0 victory at No. 4 over Sue Ghosh. Amherst wins from Brewer at No. 1 (6-4, 6-0) over Gerger and Devlin (6-1, 6-4) over Fields gave the Jeffs a 4-2 lead. In the third flight, Orozco pulled the Panthers to within one at 4-3 with a 7-5, 6-4 win over Newman. At No. 6, Monteagudo clinched the match for Amherst as she rallied from a set down for a 0-6, 6-3, 6-4 triumph over Dorrie Paradies.
The Panthers on Friday defeated Tufts, 5-0, in a quarterfinal match.