Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
Bucknell Invite
Melch Posts Runner-Up Finish for Women's Tennis
9/19/2015 9:26:00 PM | Women's Tennis
LEWISBURG, Pa. – Madeline Melch posted a runner-up finish to pace the Bucknell women's tennis team on the final day of the Bucknell Invitational. The two-day event at the Bucknell Tennis Courts included Marist and Villanova.
Melch advanced to the championship match of Flight B with a 6-2, 6-1 win over Marist's Ariel Shulman. She lost 6-2, 6-1 to Villanova's Lindsey Evans in the finals, evening her singles record to 2-2 this fall.
Maria Cioffi won a pair of matches to win the consolation draw of Flight A, including a tough three-set battle with teammate Lisa Jouravleva in the final match. It was the second straight week the team's top two players squared off. Cioffi had beaten Marist's Caroline Lozo earlier in the day, while Jouravleva posted a three-set win over Villanova's Tori Smyth.
The two wins vaulted Cioffi into sixth on Bucknell's all-time list for combined singles and doubles wins. She improved to 134-60, passing Paulina Gamboa, who went 133-117 between 2005-2009,
“I think we had a slow start on the first day and as a whole, we definitely didn't compete with the same focus and intensity as we did last weekend,” said Bucknell head coach Rebecca Helt. “We hope to bounce back next weekend by coming in more prepared and more ready to fight for the win rather expecting it to come easy.”
Bucknell will compete in its third home tournament of the season when it hosts the Bison Invite on Sept. 25-27.
