With a 4–2 victory over William & Mary, the No. 30 women’s tennis team (22–4, 6–1 Ivy) picked up its first-ever NCAA Tournament win in program history at Duke’s Ambler Stadium.
The doubles team of Elizabeth Epstein ’13 and Vicky Brook ’12 jumped out to a 5–0 lead before taking the match 8–1. Annie Sullivan ’14 and Lindsay Clark ’11 clinched the doubles point for Yale with an 8 – 4 victory over the No. 43 doubles team in the country.
In singles play, Brook extended the Bulldogs’ lead to 2–0 with a dominating 6–0, 6–3 victory at the No. 2 spot. The Tribe struck back with a win at the No. 3 position over Blair Seideman ’14, ending her ten-match winning streak. The match was tied at 2–2 after Stevi Petrelli ’11 lost 6–1, 6–4.
Sullivan put the Bulldogs ahead by one with a 6–4, 6–1 win. Stephanie Kent ’12 clinched the overall victory for Yale, beating her opponent 6–4, 6–4.
The Elis have now won 18 of their last 20 matches and will now face No. 3 Duke in the Tournament’s second round on Sunday.
The Bulldogs’ only previous NCAA Tournament appearance occurred three years ago, when they lost 4–0 to Georgia, then ranked second in the country.