From Emory University Athletics

Emory University, ranked first in Division III, will play for the National Championship on Wednesday, earning a spot in the title match after defeating fourth-ranked Johns Hopkins University 5-1 on Tuesday afternoon at the 2014 NCAA Division III Women's Tennis Championships in Claremont, California.

The Eagles will now advance for the NCAA Championship match for the ninth time in the program's history, and for the second-straight year.  Emory will be aiming for its sixth National Championship, after winning titles in 1996, 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2006.

In the Championship match, the Eagles will take on second-ranked Amherst College, which defeated third-ranked Williams College 5-4 in the other semifinal on Tuesday.  Emory and Amherst have met in the National Championship match once before, with the Eagles coming away with a 5-0 triumph to win the NCAA Title in 2004.  The Eagles are 13-4 all-time against Amherst, including a 7-2 record in NCAA Tournament meetings.  Emory has won its last two matches against the Jeffs, including a 5-4 win in the semifinals at last year's NCAA Championships, and an 8-1 win earlier this season.

Tuesday's semifinal match between the Eagles and the Blue Jays was a rematch from earlier in the season, when Emory defeated Johns Hopkins 7-2 at the Woodruff P.E. Center in Atlanta on April 5^th.  The loss was the only one of the season for Hopkins, heading into Tuesday's match.

Emory started strong in doubles, with the top pairing of senior Gabrielle Clark and freshman Michelle Satterfield winning 8-4 over Hopkins' Hailey Hogan and Sydney Lehman.  The Blue Jays evened the match with an 8-4 win at second doubles from Elaine Baik and Mikey Barthelmass over Emory sophomore Beatrice Rosen and juniorRebecca Siegler.  However, Emory would end doubles with a 2-1 advantage in the team score after senior Brenna Kelly and freshman Katarina Su claimed an 8-2 victory over Amanda Austi and Ashnaa Rao at third doubles.

Su was the first to claim a singles victory for Emory, defeating Jody Law in straight sets at sixth singles, 6-1, 6-2, to earn her 25^th-straight singles win, improving to 27-1 overall for the year, including a 19-0 mark in the spring.  Freshman Melissa Goodman put the Eagles a win away from the finals with a 6-2, 6-4 over Hogan at fourth singles, and Clark completed the team win with a 6-3, 6-1 over Austi at first singles.

At the time play was stopped, Emory sophomore Madison Gordon led Baik, 6-2, 2-2 at fifth singles, while Satterfield was locked in a 6-6 tie in the first set with Lehman at second singles, and Rosen trailed Rao 3-6, 5-4 at third singles.