Friday, October 3
Richmond, Ky.
Bucknell University
at
Eastern Kentucky Invitational
Photo by: Isabelle Roes
Women's Tennis Travels to Kentucky for Eastern Kentucky Invitational
9/30/2025 12:21:00 PM | Women's Tennis
LEWISBURG, Pa. — Bucknell women's tennis is on the road again this weekend as they head to Richmond, Ky. for the Eastern Kentucky Invitational. The tournament will take place on Friday, Oct. 3 and Saturday, Oct. 4.
Setting the Scene
What: Eastern Kentucky Invitational
Dates: Friday, Oct.3 - Saturday, Oct. 4
Where: Richmond, Ky.
Bucknell's Last Time Out: West Point Invitational
- On day one, the Bison went 5-8 in doubles matches against Quinnipiac, Sacred Heart and Army. Natalie Devraj and Tori Allen led the Bison as they won two of their doubles matches, one with each other and the other with different doubles partners in Jaycie Mair and Summer Even-Esh. Mirra Manolov and Cameron King went 1-1. Abby Platt and Riley Jennings went 1-2.
- On day two, freshman Mariana Shulman led the Bison, as she won two of her three singles matches. Bucknell competed in singles matches against opponents from Quinnipiac, Fordham and NJIT. Shulman was the lone singles winner in the Bison's seven matches against Quinnipiac. She defeated Ella Lewis 8-3 for the victory. Four Bison found wins against FDU later in the day. Shulman defeated Irene Cocero 8-5, Tori Allen defeated Paula Menendez Alvarez 8-4, Cameron King defeated Asima Sazan 8-3 and Mirra Manolov defeated Petra Koszo 8-5. Bucknell didn't find any singles victories against Fordham.
- On day three, Mirra Manolov and Kate Purpura led the Bison, as they won both of their doubles matches. The duo defeated opponents from FDU and NJIT. Manolov and Purpura had the lone doubles win against FDU, defeating Valentina Silva and Katsiaryna Kostsina in a very tight 8-7 (12-10) match. The Bison's three other doubles groups dropped their matches to start the day. Next up for the Bison, was four doubles matches against NJIT, where Bucknell went 2-2. Manolov and Purpura defeated Petra Koszo and Asima Sazan 8-3. Summer Even-Esh and Mariana Shulman also won their doubles match against NJIT's Lusia Hepcal Barcan and Diana Fernandes 8-6. To close out the West Point Invitational, Bucknell had seven singles matches against FDU opponents and the Bison went 3-4. Abby Platt found her first singles win of the season as she defeated Anastasia Lim 8-5, Riley Jennings took her match 8-4 and Cameron King defeated Valentina Silva 8-5.
Bucknell at a Glance
- The Bison have played two tournaments so far this fall, one at home and one on the road. Bucknell has been testing out doubles teams in the last two tournaments to try to finalize the groups heading into the spring season.
- Bucknell women's tennis ended the 2024-25 season with a heartbreaking 4-3 loss in the quarterfinal round of the Patriot League Championships to Lehigh.
- The team landed two players on the All-Patriot League squad; Whitney King earned a first-team nod and Abby Platt earned second-team honors.
- Heading into the 2025-26 season, the Bison have a lot to restructure in their lineup after losing three integral players to graduation in Whitney King, Anna Lajos and Caroline Marcus, who were all in the lineup last season.
- Seniors Abby Platt and Mirra Manolov have been named captains for the 2025-26 season.
- Outside of Platt earning Second Team All-Patriot League last season, she has also found her way onto the record book ahead of her senior season. The Texas native currently ranks 11th in Bucknell history for career doubles victories (60), is tied for 27th in career singles victories (45), ranks 19th in career combined victories (105) and is tied for 10th in single-season doubles victories (22). Last season, Platt went 10-15 in the second spot for singles play. Platt and King were doubles partners and went 18-8 in the one spot. Platt has been doubles partners with King since she first arrived as a freshman in 2022 and will now be looking for a new partner to finish out her career.
- Last season, Manolov went 7-8 overall in singles on courts four and six and finished with an overall 5-3 record in doubles with four different partners.
- Overall, Bucknell returned seven players from last season, despite losing three of their regulars in the lineup. Platt and Manolov were the returning seniors to the squad. The Bison return two juniors to the squad from last season in Tori Allen and Jaycie Mair.
- Allen played across courts two, three and four last year. She went 10-14 overall in singles and 7-11 in doubles with five different partners. Mair competed across courts three, four and five in 2024-25. She went 10-14 in singles and 7-10 in doubles.
- At the sophomore level, Bucknell returned three athletes in Riley Jennings, Natalie Devraj and Cameron King.
- Riley Jennings had a solid freshman campaign as she went 11-3 overall in singles across courts four, five and six. The North Carolina native went undefeated in Patriot League singles with a 6-0 record and was undefeated in court six singles with a 9-0 record. Jennings finished 9-9 overall in doubles with a dual doubles record of 8-7 across courts two and three with three different partners. She ended the 2024-25 season on a seven-match singles winning streak.
- Devraj went 8-3 overall in singles across courts four, five and six. She finished 7-5 overall in doubles on court three with four different partners. Cameron King went 8-2 overall in singles across courts five and six. She finished 11-1 overall in doubles on across courts two and three with five different partners.
- The Bison welcomed a freshman class of three this fall; Summer Even-Esh, Katherine Purpura and Mariana Shulman.
- Even-Esh comes to Bucknell from New Jersey and was a three-time First-Team All-State and one-time Second Team All-State player at Manasquan High School. Individually, she went undefeated in the regular seasons of both 2023 and 2024 and was a two-time first singles Monmouth County Champion, four-time decision champion and four-time Central Jersey Group Two Semifinalist. Throughout high school, she had an overall record of 89-9.
- Purpura joined the Bison from California where she was a two-time league doubles player of the year and earned various awards from Orange County. She was a San Joaquin League Doubles Champion and two-time Orange Coast League Doubles Champion. Throughout high school she garnered over 100 career wins.
- Shulman came to Bucknell from Massachusetts where she was a two-time league MVP. She also was a GCL League Champion and two-time New England Sectional Champion.
A Look Ahead
- The Bison have a match against Millersville next on the schedule. Bucknell will head to Millersville, Pa. on Saturday, Oct. 18 and matches will begin at 1 p.m.
Players Mentioned
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/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
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/ Women's Tennis
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