Tournament Bracket

 SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y.—The 16th-ranked Skidmore College women's tennis is back in the hunt for a national championship after earning its ninth straight and 19th overall NCAA Division III Championship tournament berth.
 
The Thoroughbreds (13-8) secured their bid after winning their fifth consecutive Liberty League title with a 5-3 win against #21 Vassar. Skidmore, which received a first-round bye for the third consecutive year, will take on the winner of #35 Babson (15-8) and Colby-Sawyer (12-10).
 
The Thoroughbreds have relied on major contributions from their freshmen this season, with five rookies producing all five of the team's wins in the championship match. 
 
Reigning Liberty League Rookie of the Week Michelle Fuca, is 10-2 at number five singles this season and 7-3 in her last 10 matches. Brianna Greene has posted a 16-8 singles record, including an 8-4 mark at number three and is also 16-9 in doubles.
 
The tournament consists of 49 teams that will play a single-elimination tournament with the first, second and third rounds played at regional sites, Friday through Sunday, May 8-10 or Thursday through Saturday, May 7-9. Ohio Northern University and the Warren County Convention and Visitors Bureau will host the team championships finals, which will be held May 18-20 at Lindner Family Tennis Center in Mason, Ohio. Student-athletes selected to the individual championships will be announced Wednesday, May 6.

Top-ranked Williams is the top seed in the region and will serve as the host. The Ephs are a perfect 2-0 on the year and beat #8 Bowdoin and #7 Amherst en route to the NESCAC championship. The win marked the third time this season that Williams beat Amherst.
 
The Ephs take on the winner of the first round matchup between Endicott and Farmingdale State.
 
A LOOK AT THE FIELD

SCOUTING THE BEAVERS (15-8): Babson is making its first ever NCAA tournament appearance. The Beavers clinched the tournament berth with a 5-4 win over MIT in the NEWMAC championship. Babson has struggled down the stretch, going 1-5 in its last six matches.
 
The team is led by Yamgur Akgul, who has been practicaly unbeatable in singles play. She has a 21-1 record on the year and is 6-0 at number one and 9-0 at number two.
 
Alex Freeman has also been a top singles performer, going 10-5 at number one and 4-1 at number two, while Jenny Quenard is 10-3 at number three. Dani Weick has compiled a singles record of 10-3 and is 4-1 at number five.
 
Akgul and Freeman have been a major force in doubles, combining for a record of 19-3, including 16-0 at number one. Alexis Ferraro and Tori Paolino are another key duo for the Beavers. They are 8-2 over their last 10 matches and have an overall record of 15-4, going 6-2 at number two and number three a key pair.
 

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SCOUTING THE CHARGERS (12-10): Colby-Sawyer cruised to a 9-0 win over Penn State Berks in the NEAC championship match, securing its third consecutive league title and NCAA tournament appearance.
 
Ashlyn Ramsay has been the team's top player, going 13-6 at number one singles. She was dominant in the league final, rolling to a 6-0, 6-0 win at number one.
 
Ashley Woodside is also a solid singles competitor. She holds a record of 14-4, going 12-3 at number two, while Lauren Blanchard is 12-5 on the year in singles, including a 6-3 mark at number five. Oxana Tkachenko has won four straight singles matches and is 8-2 on the season and 4-1 at number four.
 
Ramsay and Woodside have teamed for a 10-5 record at number one doubles.
The duo of Blanchard and Ellen Graham won 8-1 at number three in the NEAC championship and is 3-1 at number three.
 

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