April 20, 2008

WEST POINT, N.Y. - The Bucknell women's tennis team dropped a close 4-3 match to Army on Sunday afternoon, in the championship of the 2008 Patriot League tournament. The No. 2 seeded Bison (9-10, 4-2 PL) defeated Colgate by a score of 4-0 on Saturday to advance to the championship match for the fourth consecutive season against the No. 1 seeded Black Knights (24-7, 7-0 PL).

Bucknell got off to a strong start, winning doubles matches at the No. 1 and No. 2 positions to pick up the doubles point. Freshman Lauren Lucido (Woodstock, Md./St. Paul's School for Girls) and sophomore Tania Varela (Quito, Ecuador/Alliance Academy) were victorious at the first position over Niki Flach and Anne Houghton by a score of 8-6, for the pair's second win of the tournament. Sophomore Carlin Calcaterra (Hinsdale, Ill./Hinsdale Central) and junior Paulina Gamboa (Mexico City, Mexico/Green Gates School) also had their second win of the weekend, topping Sarah Giles-Madden and Kristin Beehler at No. 2 by a score of 9-7.

Freshman Dara Dwojewski (Chester, N.J./West Morris Mendham) and senior Caitlin Baffa (Dix Hills, N.Y./Half Hollow Hills High East) dropped their match at the third position to Christine Limsiaco and Bridie Burke, 8-5, but the Bison still moved into singles play with a 1-0 advantage over the Black Knights.

The Orange and Blue went on to pick up wins at the No. 1 and No. 2 singles positions. Gamboa added Bucknell's second point, defeating Flach at the second position by a score of 7-6 (3), 6-1, for her second singles win of the weekend. Varela tallied her second win of the day and her second singles win of the weekend, defeating Houghton by a score of 7-6, 5-7, 6-0, at No. 1, for Bucknell's third point over Army.

Bucknell dropped all four remaining singles matches to bring the final score to 4-3 in favor of Army. At the third position, Lucido fell to Giles-Madden, 3-6, 6-4, 6-3, and at No. 4, Calcaterra fell to Beehler, 6-1, 6-1. Dwojewski was defeated by Caitlin Finnegan (6-2, 6-1) at No. 5, and at No. 6, freshman Lauren Rottkamp (Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y./Cold Spring Harbor) finished behind Diana Alquero, 7-5, 7-5.

Bucknell will play additional matches against Delaware at home and Bloomsburg away, April 22 and April 23, respectively.

Doubles
1. Tania Varela/Lauren Lucido (BU) def. Niki Flach/Anne Houghton (A), 8-6
2. Paulina Gamboa/Carlin Calcaterra (BU) def. Sarah Giles-Madden/Kristin Beehler (A), 9-7
3. Christine Limsiaco/Bridie Burke (A) def. Caitlin Baffa/Dara Dwojewski (BU), 8-5

Singles
1. Tania Varela (BU) def. Anne Houghton (A), 7-6, 5-7, 6-0
2. Paulina Gamboa (BU) def. Niki Flach (A), 7-6 (3), 6-1
3. Sarah Giles-Madden (A) def. Lauren Lucido (BU), 3-6, 6-4, 6-3
4. Kristin Beehler (A) def. Carlin Calcaterra (BU), 6-1, 6-1
5. Caitlin Finnegan (A) def. Dara Dwojewski (BU), 6-2, 6-1
6. Diana Alquero (A) def. Lauren Rottkamp (BU), 7-5, 7-5