Women's Tennis Clinches Dramatic 4-3 Win Over Saint Francis

Friday, February 9

South Williamsport, Pa.

5 p.m.

Bucknell University

Saint Francis

Photo by: Ben Popko

Women's Tennis Clinches Dramatic 4-3 Win Over Saint Francis

2/9/2024 10:05:00 PM | Women's Tennis

Box Score

SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. – Friday's women's tennis dual at the Central PA Tennis Center between Bucknell and Saint Francis went back and forth throughout the evening, and the two teams sat tied at 3-3 until Whitney King clinched the Bison victory with a three-set decision over the Red Flash's Diana Zuba.

While she was the last to finish in singles, King joined Abby Platt in the first win of the evening with a 6-1 doubles victory over Zuba and Valeria Vinces at No. 1 doubles. The pair improved to 13-1 on the season with the win. Saint Francis struck next, earning a 6-2 win at No. 3 doubles. It was Tyne Miller and Anna Lajos that clinched the doubles point for the Bison, defeating Sara Jankovic and Reagan Mangan 6-2 to give the Bison a 1-0 lead in the dual.

Platt extended Bucknell's lead to 2-0 with an early 6-4, 6-2 win at No. 3 singles over Jankovic. It was one of only two two-set matches. The Red Flash answered, however, securing a point with a win on court five.

Rookie Tori Allen earned her first dual win with a 6-3, 2-6, 6-4 win over Vinces on court six to put the Bison in position to clinch at 3-1, but Saint Francis responded once again. It posted back-to-back wins at No. 4 and No. 2 singles to even the teams up at 3-3. Lajos was nearly able to clinch it after beating Mangan 7-5 in the opening set on court two, but the Red Flash won the next two frames 6-2, 6-4.

King's deciding matchup with Zuba, who leads the Red Flash in singles wins this year, was a comeback effort. She dropped the opening set 6-4, then battled back with a 7-5 win in set two and a final 6-3 win in set three. King's singles win was her ninth of the season and evened her dual record in the top position at 3-3 this season.

It was the second year in a row the match between the Bison and Red Flash came down to the end, and Bucknell was able to avenge a 4-3 defeat from a season ago.

Bucknell is off again until next Saturday, Feb. 17, when it hosts Seton Hall at the Central PA Tennis Center.