ELON, N.C. – For the fourth-straight year and 26th time overall, the Colonial Athletic Association Championship is heading back to Williamsburg as the No. 41-ranked William & Mary women's tennis team continued its league dominance behind a 4-0 triumph over James Madison on Sunday afternoon at the Jimmy Powell Tennis Center. After capturing the doubles point, the top-seeded Green and Gold (17-9) received singles wins from junior Clara Tanielian, senior Olivia Thaler and the clincher from sophomore Natalia Perry to turn away No. 2 seed JMU's bid for a first league title. W&M's senior group of Thaler, Maria Groener, Ekaterina Stepanova and Cecily Wuenscher became the first class since 2000 to win four-straight CAA Championships, and the Green and Gold defeated the Dukes (21-4) for the 33rd consecutive time.  
 
The Tribe opened the match by taking the doubles point with a commanding performance. Sophomore Charlotte Madson and Tanielian put the Green and Gold on the board with a 6-2 win over Dylan Owens and Jona Roka at No. 3. On line two, Thaler and sophomore Rosie Cheng won the final three games in topping Emma Petersen and Anna Makarova, 6-4, to clinch the point. Both teams posted their second wins in three days at the championship.
 
One day after clinching the Tribe's semifinal win with a three-set victory, Tanielian increased the Tribe lead to 2-0 with a straight-set triumph at No. 3. The Tribe junior blanked Jona Roka, 6-0, in the opening set and led 4-0 in the second. Roka closed to within 5-4, but Tanielian broke the JMU player in her final service game to close out the 6-4 win.
 
Four singles matches went to three sets, including Thaler at the No. 6 spot. She dropped the opening set, 6-3, to Kimmy Herrock, but would not be denied her fourth career CAA crown. Thaler rallied behind decisive 6-1, 6-1 wins in the second and third sets to bring W&M to the break of the league crown. It was her team-leading 27th singles win of the year and closed out her CAA Championship career a perfect 5-0 in singles competition. 
 
With the other three spots locked into third sets, Perry led by a set at No. 2 after taking the first, 7-5. She found herself in a 5-2 second-set hole to Makarova, who entered the match at 6-0 on line two and 16-3 overall in dual-match play. The Tribe sophomore rallied with three-straight games to pull even at five and eventually forced a tiebreaker. Even at four apiece in the breaker, Perry won the final three points for her seventh clincher of the season, 7-6 (4), and sent W&M into a championship celebration.
 
Notes
The Tribe claimed its 26th CAA crown in the 34-year history of the league … It marked the program's fourth-straight conference title and fifth in six years under head coach Tyler Thomson … W&M's senior class of Maria Groener, Ekaterina Stepanova, Olivia Thaler and Cecily Wuenscher became the first class since 2000 to win four-straight CAA Championships … The Tribe improved to 17-4 all-time in the CAA Championship match and 59-7 in the CAA Tournament since the current format was established in 1995 … W&M won its 33rd-straight match against James Madison and improve to 44-1 all-time … It marked the fourth-straight year that W&M ended JMU's run in the CAA Tournament … The Tribe won the doubles point for the sixth time in its last eight matches … Junior Clara Tanielian and sophomore Charlotte Madson evened their record at 2-2 at the No. 3 spot, including two wins in three days at the CAA Championship … Senior Olivia Thaler and sophomore Rosie Cheng won their fifth doubles match as a pair and second at No. 2 in the CAA Championship … Tanielian won her third-straight match and second of the CAA Championship at No. 3 … She improved to 25-13 overall, 13-11 in duals and 8-1 at No. 3 … Thaler won all three days in singles action at the CAA Championship and ran her win streak to four matches … She notched her team-leading 27th singles win of the year and is 5-0 all-time in the CAA Championship in singles … Thaler is a team-best 17-9 in duals, including 13-5 at No. 6 … Sophomore Natalia Perry provided the clincher for the fifth time in the Tribe's last seven wins, seventh time overall and second time in the CAA Championship … Perry ran her season mark to 23-15, including 13-9 in duals and 6-4 at No. 2.
 
Up Next
W&M is set to make its 19th NCAA Tournament appearance in the last 23 years and 23rd overall. The Green and Gold has advanced to NCAAs in five of six years under head coach Tyler Thomson. The Tribe awaits its destination in the NCAA Championship with the selection show set for Tuesday, May 1, at 5 p.m. It will be streamed on NCAA.com.
 
#1 William & Mary 4, #2 James Madison 0
Singles
No. 1 – Rosie Cheng (W&M) vs. Elizabeth Norman (JMU) – DNF, 3-6, 6-1, 2-4
No. 2 – Natalia Perry (W&M) def. Anna Makarova (JMU) – 7-5, 7-6 (4)
No. 3 – Clara Tanielian (W&M) def. Jona Roka (JMU) – 6-0, 6-4
No. 4 – Lauren Goodman (W&M) vs. Emma Petersen (JMU) – DNF, 6-3, 3-6, 0-1
No. 5 – Ekaterina Stepanova (W&M) vs. Diane Flament (JMU) – DNF, 7-5, 2-6, 0-1
No. 6 – Olivia Thaler (W&M) def. Kimmy Herrock (JMU) – 3-6, 6-1, 6-1
Finishing Order: 3, 6, 2*
 
Doubles
No. 1 – Goodman/Perry (W&M) vs. Amos/Norman (JMU) – DNF, 5-2
No. 2 – Cheng/Thaler (W&M) def. Makarova/Peterson (JMU) – 6-4
No. 3 – Madson/Tanielian (W&M) def. Owens/Roka (JMU) – 6-2
Finishing Order: 3, 2*