April 25, 2009

2009 Patriot League Women's Tennis Championship Page

Lewisburg, Pa. - No. 1 Army and No. 2 Bucknell both advanced in the Patriot League Women's Tennis Tournament semifinals on Saturday, setting up a fifth-straight Army-Bucknell title match on Sunday. The top-seeded Black Knights defeated No. 5 Colgate, 4-0, in the first semifinal match, while host and No. 2 seed Bucknell defeated No. 3 Lehigh, 4-0.

In the first semifinal match, Army won doubles, 2-0, earning its first point of the day. The Black Knights No. 1 team of Niki Flach and Michael Tollerton shut out Colgate's Elise DeRose and Cameron Williams, 8-0, to take a 1-0 win. Sarah Giles-Madden and Robie Verano secured the doubles point win for Army with another 8-0 win over Colgate's No. 3 tandem of Alex Erickson and Cameron Thaney.

In singles play, Army's Kristin Beehler did not lose a game to her competitor at No. 4, Colgate's Cameron Williams, with Beehler winning the match, 6-0, 6-0. Three-time Patriot League Tennis Player of the Month and Army's No. 1 Annie Houghton battled Colgate's Elise DeRose, with Houghton picking up a 6-1, 6-1 victory to give Army a 3-0 lead over the Raiders. Army's No. 6 Robie Verano secured the winning point for the Black Knights with a 6-2, 6-1 win over the Raiders' Jackie Stimmel, sending Army to its 13th-straight Patriot League Tournament final.

No. 2 Bucknell and No. 3 Lehigh took the court next, with Bucknell earning the doubles point, 2-0. Bucknell's Paulina Gamboa and Lauren Lucido earned an 8-0 victory at No. 1 doubles over Lehigh's Allison Schwartz and Ariela Cohen, while No. 2 Tania Varela and Carlin Calcaterra of Bucknell defeated Julie Arthofer and Liz Piscitelli of Lehigh, 8-1.

Paulina Gamboa scored the first Bison point in singles play, defeating Lehigh's No. 3 Julie Arthofer, 6-1, 6-1. In No. 4 singles, Demi Iepuras of Bucknell beat Liz Piscitelli of Lehigh, 6-3, 6-1, while Bucknell's No. 2 Lauren Lucido won the winning point for the Bison by defeating Lehigh's Ariela Cohen, 6-3, 6-1, allowing Bucknell to advance to its sixth Patriot League Tournament final in the tournament's current format.

Army is in search of a fifth-straight and tenth overall Patriot League title, while Bucknell is looking to win its third championship and first title since 1994. The Black Knights are 4-0 against the Bison in title matches, having beaten Bucknell 4-0 the first three times before winning a close, 4-3 match in 2008. Army defeated Bucknell, 5-2, on April 11 in regular season League play.

Results for Sunday's championship match can be found at the conclusion of the day's events at www.PatriotLeague.com and on the Women's Tennis Championship page that can be accessed here.

Results:

Semifinal 1: No. 1 Army, 4, No. 5 Colgate 0

Doubles:

1. Niki Flach/Michael Tollerton, Army def. Elise DeRose/Cameron Williams, Colgate 8-0

2. Annie Houghton/Kristin Beehler, Army ahead Erin Fenn/Stephanie Brown, Colgate 7-2

3. Sarah Giles-Madden/Robie Verano, Army def. Alex Erickson/Cameron Thaney, Colgate 8-0

Order of finish: 1,3, 2 (DNF)

Singles:

1. Annie Houghton, Army def. Elise DeRose, Colgate 6-1, 6-1

2. Niki Flach, Army ahead Alex Erickson, Colgate 6-4, 5-0

3. Sarah Giles Madden, Army ahead Erin Fenn, Colgate 6-3, 5-1

4. Kristin Beehler, Army def. Cameron Williams, Colgate 6-0, 6-0

5. Michael Tollerton, Army ahead Cameron Thaney, Colgate 6-1, 5-2

6. Robbie Verano, Army def. Jackie Stimmel, Colgate 6-2, 6-1

Order of finish: 4, 1, 6

Semifinal 2: No. 2 Bucknell 4, No. 3 Lehigh 0

Doubles:

1. Lauren Lucido/Paulina Gamboa, Bucknell def. Allison Schwartz/Ariela Cohen, Lehigh 8-0

2. Tania Varela/Carlin Calcaterra, Bucknell def. Julie Arthofer, Liz Piscitelli, Lehigh 8-1

3. Stacy Reich/Ruthie Furman, Lehigh ahead Dara Dwojewski/Ashley Globerman, Bucknell 5-3

Order of finish: 1, 2, 3 (DNF)

Singles:

1. Tania Varela, Bucknell ahead Allison Schwartz, Lehigh 6-4, 5-1

2. Lauren Lucido, Bucknell def. Ariela Cohen, 6-3, 6-1

3. Paulina Gamboa, Bucknell def. Julie Arthofer, Lehigh 6-1, 6-1

4. Demi Iepuras, Bucknell def. Liz Piscitelli, Lehigh 6-3, 6-1

5. Dara Dwojewski, Bucknell ahead Stacy Reich, Lehigh 7-5, 0-0

6. Ashley Globerman, Bucknell ahead Ruthie Furman, Lehigh 6-3, 3-2

2009 Patriot League Women's Tennis Championship, Sunday at Noon

No. 1 Army at No. 2 Bucknell