April 21, 2008

LEWISBURG, Pa. - The Bucknell women's tennis team is prepared to play its final home match of the 2008 season on Tuesday afternoon, against Delaware at 2 p.m. Tuesday's match marks Senior Day for the Bison; senior captain Caitlin Baffa (Dix Hills, N.Y./Half Hollow High School East) will be playing in her final home contest of her collegiate career. The Bison (9-10, 4-2 PL) will then travel to Bloomsburg on Wednesday afternoon, to close out the 2008 season. Bucknell is coming off a runner-up finish at the Patriot League Tournament this past weekend, falling by a score of 4-3 to Army in the championship match.

Bucknell Women's Tennis Notebook

Last Time Out ... at the PL Tournament, April 18-20 -
- Bucknell opened the weekend with a 4-0 win over Colgate in the semifinal match. Against the Raiders, Bucknell's No. 1 doubles team of freshman Lauren Lucido (Woodstock, Md./St. Paul's School for Girls) and sophomore Tania Varela (Quito, Ecuador/Alliance Academy) were first to finish their match, picking up an 8-1 win over Elise DeRose and Sam Inacker. To secure the doubles point, junior Paulina Gamboa (Mexico City, Mexico/Green Gates School) and sophomore Carlin Calcaterra (Hinsdale, Ill./Hinsdale Central) defeated Cameron Williams and Stephanie Bender by a score of 8-4 at the second position. In singles, Lucido was first off the court, defeating Riemer at No. 3, 6-3, 6-1. Varela finished next at the first position, topping DeRose by a score of 6-1, 6-1. Gamboa clinched the win for the Orange and Blue at the No. 2 position. She defeated Inacker, 6-2, 7-5, to make the final score 4-0 in favor of Bucknell.
- The No. 2 seeded Bison advanced to the championship, facing top-seeded Army and falling by a score of 4-3. It was the fourth consecutive season Bucknell made it to the championship match and it was one of the closest championship matches in Patriot League history. Bucknell got off to a strong start, winning doubles matches at the No. 1 and No. 2 positions to pick up the doubles point. Lucido and Varela were victorious at the first position over Niki Flach and Anne Houghton by a score of 8-6, while Calcaterra and Gamboa topped Sarah Giles-Madden and Kristin Beehler at No. 2 by a score of 9-7, as the Bison 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, and Varela defeated Houghton by a score of 7-6, 5-7, 6-0, at No. 1, for Bucknell's third point over Army. Bucknell then dropped all four remaining singles matches to bring the final score to 4-3 in favor of Army.

The Delaware Blue Hens -
- Delaware currently holds a record of 9-7 this season and will play its final match of the spring on Tuesday afternoon at Bucknell.
- In a series that began in 1980, Bucknell has defeated Delaware 11 times and lost on 16 occasions.
- Last season, the Orange and Blue lost by a score of 7-0 to the Blue Hens on April 24, 2007.

The Bloomsburg Huskies -
- Bloomsburg currently owns a record of 10-5 this season and will play its final regular season match on Wednesday afternoon at home against Bucknell.
- In a series that began in 1974, Bucknell has defeated Bloomsburg 20 times and has suffered losses on eight occasions.
- Last season, the Bison defeated the Huskies by a score of 4-3, on April 18, 2007.

Bucknell Team Leaders -
- Varela and Lucido are tied in doubles wins, picking up 11 total this season. In singles, Lucido and freshman Lauren Rottkamp (Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y./Cold Spring Harbor) are tied with a team-high of 11 wins.

Spring 2008 Singles Records -
- Caitlin Baffa - 2-6 (1-1, No. 4), (1-3, No. 5), (0-2, No. 6)
- Carlin Calcaterra - 6-11 (0-1, No. 2), (2-3, No. 3), (4-7, No. 4)
- Dara Dwojewski - 6-11 (0-2, No. 3), (1-3, No. 4), (5-6, No. 5)
- Paulina Gamboa - 9-8 (0-3, No. 1), (9-5, No. 2)
- Lauren Lucido - 11-7 (3-0, No. 1), (1-2, No. 2), (7-5, No. 3)
- Lauren Rottkamp - 11-5 (1-0, No. 3), (1-0, No. 4) (1-1, No. 5), (8-4, No. 6)
- Kirstyn Sotak - 1-0 (No. 6)
- Tania Varela - 9-4 (No. 1)
- Renee Weissend - 1-2 (1-0, No. 5), (0-2, No. 6)

2008 Spring Doubles Records -
- Caitlin Baffa / Dara Dwojewski - 4-10 (1-5, No. 2), (3-5, No. 3)
- Carlin Calcaterra / Paulina Gamboa - 9-7 (1-4, No. 1), (8-3, No. 2)
- Lauren Lucido / Tania Varela - 10-3 (No. 1)
- Lauren Lucido / Caitlin Baffa - 1-1 (No. 2)
- Lauren Lucido / Dara Dwojewski - 0-1 (No. 2)
- Lauren Lucido / Renee Weissend - 0-1 (No. 3)
- Lauren Lucido / Lauren Rottkamp - 0-1 (No. 3)
- Dara Dwojewski / Renee Weissend - 1-1 (No. 3)
- Kirstyn Sotak / Renee Weissend - 1-0 (No. 3)
- Caitlin Baffa / Renee Weissend - 0-1 (No. 3)
- Tania Varela / Paulina Gamboa - 1-0 (No. 1)

Current Bison in the Bucknell Record Books -
- All-Time Top-15: Combined Victories
- Paulina Gamboa - 96 (No. 7)
- Tania Vareka - 68 (Tied No. 13)
- All-Time Top-15: Singles Victories
- Paulina Gamboa - 45 (No. 9)
- All-Time Top-15: Doubles Victories
- Paulina Gamboa - 49 (No. 5)
- Tania Varela - 40 (No. 10)
- Caitlin Baffa - 36 (No. 14)
- All-Time Top-15: Combined Winning Percentage
- Tania Varela - .687 (No. 10)
- Lauren Lucido - .610 (No. 15)

Honors for 2007-08 Season -
- Varela was named Damon's Bison Athlete of the Week on April 21, for her performance at the Patriot League Tournament.
- On Oct. 3, Lucido was named Patriot League Player of the Month for women's tennis. To open her collegiate career, Lucido posted a 10-2 combined record in September. She went 2-1 in singles and 8-1 in doubles when paired with Varela.