WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — Williams College freshman pitcher Alejandra Magana has been forced out of the circle for more than three weeks by a couple of nagging injuries.

 

But when the Ephs needed her most, she was ready, and came through with flying colors, tossing a complete-game three-hitter in Game 5 of the NCAA Tournament Williamstown Regional Saturday afternoon as Williams eliminated Johnson & Wales by a 6-1 score. 

 

With that win and a 9-0 win over Western Connecticut earlier Saturday in the first elimination game of the regional, the Eph set a new single-season record for victories with 34, topping the 32 wins earned by the 2015 and 2004 teams. 

 

The Ephs (34-10) will face M.I.T. (30-11) in the first championship game of the regional Sunday at 11 a.m. Williams will need to defeat the Engineers twice Sunday in order to advance, while the Engineers need a single victory. 

 

It was a long Saturday for Williams, which concluded its first game, which was suspended in the top of the first Friday with Johnson & Wales leading 3-0, starting at 9 a.m. The Wildcats produced a 9-0 victory, only the second time the Ephs have been shut out this season. 

 

WOMEN’S TENNIS

WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass.  – After a first-round bye in the six-team NCAA regionals, host Williams College faced off against the Wilkes University Colonels, sweeping them 5-0, on Saturday.

 

The Colonels, 20-2 in the regular season, were the Middle Atlantic Conference champions. They were coming into the day on a 10-match winning streak including a first round win Friday over the Endicott Gulls. This was their 10th straight appearance in the NCAA Tournament, and they are now 4-10 overall in NCAA play.

 

Williams, led by head coach Alison Swain, has appeared in the tournament 23 straight times, posting a 73-14 overall record with the win today. They were 18-3 on the year, and had won 5 matches in a row coming into the day.

 

Doubles got Williams a quick 3-0 lead, winning 8-0 in each match. Maya Hart and Giulia McDonnell Nieto del Rio finished first in third doubles, and Julia Cancio and Hannah Atkinson  followed with a win of their own. In first doubles, Juli Raventos and Linda Shin squared off against junior/first-year duo of Kendra Crocker and Jordan Vasarkovy, completing the sweep with the third 8-0 victory.

 

With two wins needed to clinch, Williams moved on to singles. Mia Gancayco '18 got the Ephs within one when she overcame her opponent 6-0, 6-0. Shin secured the final win of the day 6-0, 6-1.

 

Williams moves on to Sunday’s noon regional final against MIT.

 

WOMEN’S GOLF

HOUSTON -- The Williams women’s golf team finished in fifth place at the NCAA Championships after the fourth round of play was canceled halfway through due to weather.

 

The Championship was counted as a 54-hole tournament, with Williams shooting a total of 933.

 

This marks the fifth consecutive year that the Ephs have finished fifth or higher at the NCAA Championships and it is the ninth time the Ephs have finsihed in the top 10 at the championships.

 

Rhodes College came away with the NCAA title this year, outscoring the closest competition by 16 strokes after 54 holes. Before play was stopped this afternoon, Rhodes was four under par through nine holes. Rhodes's three-day breakdown was as follows: 312-298-294, totaling at 904.

 

The individual champion of the tournament was Caroline Ordian of the University of Redlands, who had a three-day total of 218 (73-70-75), two over par.

 

Williams had a strong showing in the tournament. Freshman Cordelia Chan ended up tied for ninth place in a field of 109 competitors (79-73-75). By virtue of her top 10 finish, Chan was accorded Honorable Mention All-America honors.