Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell Women's Tennis to Host Mount St. Mary's, Villanova in Mid-Week Battles
3/26/2013 8:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
March 26, 2013
LEWISBURG, Pa. - After opening its Patriot League schedule last weekend, Bucknell women's tennis returns to the non-conference side of its slate, hosting Mount St. Mary's and Villanova in a pair of mid-week matches. The Bison and The Mount will meet on Wednesday, followed by a bout against the Wildcats on Thursday. Both matches are scheduled for 3 p.m. at the Varsity Tennis Courts.
The cold weather played a factor more than once last week as Bucknell's match vs. Mount St. Mary's was originally scheduled for last Tuesday and the George Mason meeting was shortened to just singles play.
The Bison pulled out a 4-2 win over the Patriots despite the adjustment. After the team scored was knotted up at 2-2, Elena Vidrascu and Maria Cioffi pulled out huge wins in super tie breaks to secure the final victory. Both Bison paired up the next day at Navy to secure Bucknell's lone win, 8-7 (4).
By the end of the weekend, Cioffi had improved to 6-3 at No. 2 singles and 18-8 on the year to lead the team. Her 6-5 mark in duals makes her one of two Bison with a winning record during spring play. Joining her is Lydia Colvin, who is 6-4 playing exclusively at the third spot in the lineup and 10-10 overall for the year.
Vidrascu had also moved up to No. 15 all-time at Bucknell in combined wins by the end of last weekend. The junior is now 83-78 in her career and is the only current Bison among the top 30 in that category.
Both of Bucknell's opponents this week have contributed to the Bison's records already this year. Mount St. Mary's and Villanova both competed at the Bucknell Invitational this fall. They also met at the Mount. St. Mary's and St. Joseph's invitationals. Against The Mount, the Bison were 8-12 in singles and 7-5 in doubles this fall. They were less successful against the Wildcats, however, going 3-11 in singles and 0-3 in doubles during tournament play. Collecting those three wins against Villanova was Vidrascu who knocked out three Wildcats at the Bucknell Invitational, including Tori Smyth in the Flight A title match by a score of 1-6, 6-4, (10-8).
Mount St. Mary's comes to Lewisburg with a 5-6 record having lost its last three matches. Bucknell will try to make it a fourth straight while at the same time extending its series lead to 14-1 over The Mount. When the two teams squared off last spring, Bucknell won 6-1. After winning two of three doubles matches, the Bison went on to take five of six in singles. The only loss came at the No. 3 slot and in three sets. All other singles bouts were decided in straight sets.
Villanova plays Rutgers on Wednesday but has a 3-5 record entering the week. Those three victories have come in the last four matches, winning 7-2 over Vanguard and Chapman and 4-3 over Bryant. The Wildcats were swept by Delaware most recently and the Bison will try to make sure their foes' momentum does not get started up again when they play on Thursday.
Bucknell has an 11-4 advantage in the series with Villanova, although the Wildcats won the last dual, 4-3 during the 2012 campaign. After winning the doubles point, the Bison could get just two more wins, straight-sets decisions from Vidrascu and Colvin. Bucknell's last win over Villanova was not that long ago, however, as it came 7-0 in 2011.
After the two mid-week matches, Bucknell will hit the road again to take on Saint Joseph's in Philadelphia on April 2. They will then host Towson on April 4.
