Women's Tennis Defeats Lehigh to Advance to Patriot League Semifinals

ANNAPOLIS, Md. – The fifth-seeded Bucknell women's tennis team upset fourth-seeded Lehigh in the quarterfinal round of the Patriot League Tournament on Friday, winning 4-2 over the Mountain Hawks to advance to the semifinal round. Bucknell won two of three in doubles to earn the first point of the day then took three in singles to secure the victory.

The win avenged a 5-2 loss to the Mountain Hawks back on April 4.

The Bison will now face top-seeded Boston U. on Saturday for a chance to advance to the Patriot League title match. Saturday's match is scheduled to begin at 10 a.m.

Bucknell's top doubles tandem, Cayla Koch and Daniela Bellini, started the morning off with a perfect 6-0 win on court one against Paula Gonzalez and Leighanna Moskos. Bellini and Koch are now 5-3 together this spring. They were followed by a 6-2 win on court two by the rookie duo of Tyne Miller and Laurel Utterback.

Winning the first singles point for the Bison was Utterback on court five. The North Canton, Ohio native captured a 7-5, 6-3 win over Lehigh's Anshika Singh to improve to 5-2 during her rookie campaign.

Koch was the next Bison to earn a singles point. The senior bounced back from a 6-7 (5-7) decision in set one and won the next two sets 6-3, 6-3 to give Bucknell a 3-1 lead in the match.

The match came down to senior Sofia Ayuso on court four. The Nueva Esparta, Venezuela native also went to three sets, battling it out with Lehigh rookie Rachel Buchinsky. Ayuso won 6-4, 1-6, 7-6 (7-2) to seal the match and Bucknell's spot in the Patriot League semis.

The victory was Bucknell's first over Lehigh since the 2016 tournament.

Saturday's semifinal matchup between Bucknell and Boston U. will be a rematch of the 2019 Patriot League semifinals, where the Terriers won 4-0 over Bucknell. It was the last time the two teams faced one another.