Bucknell University
Lehigh
Bucknell Women's Tennis Advances to Patriot League Tournament Semifinals with 4-0 Win Over Lehigh
4/20/2012 8:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
April 20, 2012
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – The Bucknell women's tennis team (6-16) will advance to Saturday's Patriot League Tournament semifinals after beating Lehigh (5-14), 4-0. The Bison earned two wins from Daria Tuzhikova in the morning match which helped propel the team to victory. No. 5 Bucknell will now take on No.1 seeded Navy tomorrow at 10 a.m. at Lehigh's Ulrich Varsity Courts.
The Bison entered the match seeking a repeat performance of last Friday's contest against Lehigh and made an early statement after taking down the Mountain Hawks in doubles play. Partners Dumitrita Iepuras and Elizabeth Morgan breezed through their No. 3 flight against their freshmen opponents Gabby Drucker and Emily Bruch, 8-4.
In the No. 1 bout, Elena Vidrascu and Tuzhikova battled back-and-forth versus Jenai Bilimoria and Abby Farrell. Vidrascu and Tuzhikova eventually clinched the team point for Bucknell after beating their opponents, 8-6. The No. 2 contest was tied at six when the Bison earned the doubles point.
In singles action Lydia Colvin won 6-0, 6-4 over sophomore Kathleen Larkin at the No. 3 singles and Courtney Casey picked up a win at the No. 5 slot over Bruch by the score of 6-3, 6-0.
Tuzhikova earned her second win of the day after she beat out opponent Drucker in the No. 4 position. Tuzhikova won in straight sets over the freshman, 6-2, 6-1.
Iepuras, Vidrascu and Christie Schneider were all still playing when Bucknell sealed the victory. Iepuras and Vidrascu were both down in their matches in the second set and Schneider was tied 1-1 after two sets.
With today's win the Bison have now won their eighth consecutive quarterfinal contest.
Bucknell will look to avenge its regular-season loss to Navy tomorrow at 10 a.m. Navy won the previous match at Bucknell's Varsity Tennis Courts, 5-2. The Bison won the team doubles point and Iepuras grabbed a win at the No. 1 flight over Darien Sears. This is the third straight year the Bison have faced the Midshipmen in the semifinal match.
Bucknell 4, Lehigh 0
Doubles
1. Elena Vidrascu/Daria Tuzhikova (BU) def. Jenai Bilimoria/Abby Farrell (LU), 8-6
2. Lydia Colvin/Courtney Casey (BU) vs. Kathleen Larkin/Jill Sloand (LU), 6-6, DNF
3. Dumitrita Iepuras/Elizabeth Morgan (BU) def. Gabby Drucker/Emily Bruch (LU), 8-4
Order of finish: 3, 1
Singles
1. Jenai Bilimoria (LU) vs. Dumitrita Iepuras (BU), 7-5, 1-0, DNF
2. Abby Farrell (LU) vs. Elena Vidrascu (BU), 6-2, 4-2, DNF
3. Lydia Colvin (BU) def. Kathleen Larkin (LU), 6-0, 6-4
4. Daria Tuzhikova (BU) def. Gabby Drucker (LU), 6-2, 6-1
5. Courtney Casey (BU) def. Emily Bruch (LU), 6-3, 6-0
6. Jill Sloand (LU) vs. Christie Schneider (BU), 6-2, 2-6, DNF
Order of finish: 4, 3, 5
