Women's Tennis Advances 10 to Quarterfinals at Bucknell Fall Invite

Friday, September 7

Lewisburg, Pa.

All Day

Bucknell University

Bucknell Invitational

Photo by: Marc Hagemeier

Women's Tennis Advances 10 to Quarterfinals at Bucknell Fall Invite

9/8/2018 1:36:00 AM | Women's Tennis

The Bison Had Six Singles Players and Four Doubles Teams Advance on Day One

LEWISBURG, Pa. – Bucknell women's tennis advanced six players in singles and four doubles teams to the quarterfinal round after the opening day of the Bucknell Fall Invite on Friday. The three-day event resumes Saturday at 9 a.m.

"I thought we had a solid day for our first competition of the fall," Bucknell head coach Rebecca Helt said. "The things we need to work on are just executing our shots, which will get better with every match. We're playing smart. We have a good mentality."

The Bison had four players participating in the top flight in the seven-team event, and three of those players advanced to the quarterfinal round.

Highlighting the opening round was a win by freshman Daniela Bellini in her collegiate debut while playing in Flight 1 singles. She beat Saint Francis's Lucia Seigford, a Second Team All-NEC selection last season, in straight sets, 6-4, 6-1. Bellini will play Alexa Quintanilla, a First Team All-NEC honoree last season, on Saturday. Quintanilla is the defending top flight champion at the Bucknell Fall Invite.

Also winning in Flight 1 for the Bison were senior Mishi Papich and sophomore Cayla Koch. Papich beat Colgate's Lauren O'Brien 6-1, 7-6, while Koch defeated Lafayette's Ce Ce Lesnick 6-4, 6-1. Both players will play all-conference players in the quarterfinal round. Papich will take on Loyola's Kateri Martin, a First Team All-Patriot League honoree, while Koch will play Howard's Yasmine Khiri, a Second Team All-MEAC selection. Khiri was the Flight 3 champion a year ago.

In Flight 2 singes, sophomore Sofia Ayuso advanced with an easy 6-3, 6-0 victory over Howard's Kendall Addison. She will play Loyola's Abby Decker. Sophomore Rachel Carroll beat Colgate's Callie Bartimer 6-3, 6-0, and will now take on Lafayette's Alexa Cooke.

Sophomore Schuyler La Barge advanced in Flight 3 with a first round bye. She will open singles play against Loyola's Genevieve Wurtz.

Bucknell advanced four doubles teams on day one – two from Flight 1 and two from Flight 2. In Flight 1, Papich and Ayuso teamed for a 7-6 win, while Koch played with junior Paige Leavy and posted a 6-4 victory.

Two Bison teams – Bellini/Jill Auteri and Danielle Gannon/La Barge – advanced with byes in Flight 2.