Emory University senior Zahra Dawson and sophomore Gabrielle Clark closed out the Eagles' 2012 campaign with a second-place finish in the doubles draw at the NCAA Division III Women's Tennis Championships in Cary, NC.

Just a short time removed from winning the singles draw earlier in the day, Clark took to the court again, this time with Dawson for the doubles semifinal match.  The Eagles' second-seeded duo was able to defeat Nandita Krishnan and Haley Hogan of Johns Hopkins University in three sets, 6-2, 2-6, 6-2, to advance to the finals.

The doubles victory also gave Dawson her 105^th career doubles victory, moving her into sole possession of first place in school history in doubles wins.  She passed former Eagle Mary Ellen Gordon (2000-04) on the program's all-time list.

Emory would face Laura Danzig and Gabby Devlin of Amherst College in the championship match, and jump out to an early lead with a 6-4 victory in the first set.  However, Amherst's duo would battle back, winning the next set 6-1, and taking a 5-1 lead in the third and deciding set. 

Dawson and Clark showed their resiliency, mounting a four-set comeback to even the set at 5-5.  Amherst would regain a 6-5 lead, but the Eagles would hold serve to even the match again at 6-6, and force a tiebreaker.

Danzig and Devlin jumped out to a 3-0 lead, but the Eagles continued to fight, at one point making it a 4-2 match.  However, Amherst's pairing scored another two quick points, and after Emory answered with its third point of the tie break, Danzig and Devlin scored to close out the match and claim the championship.

It marked the third-straight year than an Emory duo has finished as the runner-up the doubles draw at the NCAA Championships.  In 2010, Dawson teamed with former Eagle Lorne McManigle to finish in second place, while Clark teamed with McManigle to finish second in 2011.

The match marks an end to the 2012 season for the Eagles, and to the collegiate career of Dawson, who will leave Emory as one of the program's most decorated players.  In addition to holding the program record for doubles wins, with a 105-34 all-time mark, Dawson also ranks second in the program in singles victories (86-39) and has been named an all-American all four years with the program.