The women's tennis team will compete at the Patriot League Championships in Annapolis, Md., this weekend. As of press time, the team's opponent in the quarterfinal match was to be determined.
The Mountain Hawks will likely compete as the fourth seed in the tournament held this year at Navy. The Hawks sit at 3-3 in the Patriot League, which lands them in fourth place. The Hawks trail Army, which sits at the top of the Patriot League standings with a 5-0 record. Navy with a 3-0 record and Bucknell University with a 3-2 record fill in second and third places, respectively.
Lehigh finished up Patriot League play on Tuesday, defeating the rival Lafayette College Leopards, 4-3.
Though the Hawks and Leopards split singles matches, Lehigh's strong doubles play helped the team prevail.
"It was closer than it should have been because our first singles player, Taylor Hampshire, has been battling a shoulder injury, so she sat out," said junior Liz Piscitelli, the No. 3 singles player for the Hawks.
Piscitelli is the sole junior and oldest player of the Hawks team this year.
The win against the Leopards ended regular season play for the Hawks; they finished with a 6-12 overall record. Though Lehigh had a rough start to the season, it ended strong, winning five out of its last eight matches, with three of those wins coming against league opponents.
A key win came on April 9 when Lehigh edged Colgate University, 4-2, in Hamilton, N.Y.
This match gave the Hawks a preview of what they will most likely be the facing in the quarterfinals today. Piscitelli said she is confident and excited heading into the Hawks' quarterfinal match.
"I think we will be the fourth seed," she said. "We're going to assume four plays five, which would be Colgate. We beat them at their school two weeks ago - and were really excited to play them. We didn't win the doubles point when we played them, but we won four singles matches, so this year in the tournament were definitely looking to win the doubles point and take the pressure off the single's matches - that way we only have to win three instead of four."
The Raiders are coming off a 0-7 loss to Army on April 10 at home. The Raiders have lost five out of their last six regular season matches, four of those losses to Patriot League opponents. Colgate sits at 4-13 on the season, and 1-4 in Patriot League play.
Last year, Lehigh lost its regular season match against the Raiders and then fell to them in the Patriot League Championship quarterfinals.
This year, the Hawks' win against Colgate in the regular season has given Lehigh confidence and strength as the team prepares to face the Raiders once again in the quarterfinal match.
"We are a young talented team and as every match progresses we become better and better," said freshman Jenai Bilimoria, the Hawks No. 2 singles player.
"We've had a few close matches and have done pretty well in them. Going into the championships, I think we all are looking to only get better and gain more experience. As a freshmen, I am looking forward to experiencing this event and improving my game," she said.
Hampshire, the team's No. 1 singles player, said she agreed with Bilimoria. Hampshire expressed her dedication this season, and also emphasized how the tournament can be a learning experience for the Hawks' young team.
"We have worked hard all year long and now is the time to show how much our program has improved," Hampshire said. "We want to win as many matches as we can. We are a young team - five out of eight people on the team are freshmen - so this will be great experience for us and hopefully it will lead us towards a future Patriot League Championship."
To prepare for the championships, the Hawks have been resting injuries and practicing throughout the week, Piscitelli said.
Lehigh begins championship play today in the quarterfinals at the Dyer Tennis Clubhouse. The semi-finals will be tomorrow and the championship match will be on Sunday at the same location.
The Mountain Hawks will likely compete as the fourth seed in the tournament held this year at Navy. The Hawks sit at 3-3 in the Patriot League, which lands them in fourth place. The Hawks trail Army, which sits at the top of the Patriot League standings with a 5-0 record. Navy with a 3-0 record and Bucknell University with a 3-2 record fill in second and third places, respectively.
Media Credit: Leah Kulp
Lehigh finished up Patriot League play on Tuesday, defeating the rival Lafayette College Leopards, 4-3.
Though the Hawks and Leopards split singles matches, Lehigh's strong doubles play helped the team prevail.
"It was closer than it should have been because our first singles player, Taylor Hampshire, has been battling a shoulder injury, so she sat out," said junior Liz Piscitelli, the No. 3 singles player for the Hawks.
Piscitelli is the sole junior and oldest player of the Hawks team this year.
The win against the Leopards ended regular season play for the Hawks; they finished with a 6-12 overall record. Though Lehigh had a rough start to the season, it ended strong, winning five out of its last eight matches, with three of those wins coming against league opponents.
Media Credit: Leah Kulp
Sophomore Abbey Perl, above, and junior captain Liz Piscitelli, below, play in a match earlier this season.The women's tennis team looks forward to championship play and is anxious to compete with the Colgate University Raiders for the second time this year in the quarterfinal.
A key win came on April 9 when Lehigh edged Colgate University, 4-2, in Hamilton, N.Y.
This match gave the Hawks a preview of what they will most likely be the facing in the quarterfinals today. Piscitelli said she is confident and excited heading into the Hawks' quarterfinal match.
"I think we will be the fourth seed," she said. "We're going to assume four plays five, which would be Colgate. We beat them at their school two weeks ago - and were really excited to play them. We didn't win the doubles point when we played them, but we won four singles matches, so this year in the tournament were definitely looking to win the doubles point and take the pressure off the single's matches - that way we only have to win three instead of four."
The Raiders are coming off a 0-7 loss to Army on April 10 at home. The Raiders have lost five out of their last six regular season matches, four of those losses to Patriot League opponents. Colgate sits at 4-13 on the season, and 1-4 in Patriot League play.
Media Credit: Leah Kulp
Sophomore Patricia Muething shows off her backhand. The women's tennis team will head to Navy in Annapolis, Md., this weekend to compete in the Patriot League Championship.
Last year, Lehigh lost its regular season match against the Raiders and then fell to them in the Patriot League Championship quarterfinals.
This year, the Hawks' win against Colgate in the regular season has given Lehigh confidence and strength as the team prepares to face the Raiders once again in the quarterfinal match.
"We are a young talented team and as every match progresses we become better and better," said freshman Jenai Bilimoria, the Hawks No. 2 singles player.
"We've had a few close matches and have done pretty well in them. Going into the championships, I think we all are looking to only get better and gain more experience. As a freshmen, I am looking forward to experiencing this event and improving my game," she said.
Hampshire, the team's No. 1 singles player, said she agreed with Bilimoria. Hampshire expressed her dedication this season, and also emphasized how the tournament can be a learning experience for the Hawks' young team.
"We have worked hard all year long and now is the time to show how much our program has improved," Hampshire said. "We want to win as many matches as we can. We are a young team - five out of eight people on the team are freshmen - so this will be great experience for us and hopefully it will lead us towards a future Patriot League Championship."
To prepare for the championships, the Hawks have been resting injuries and practicing throughout the week, Piscitelli said.
Lehigh begins championship play today in the quarterfinals at the Dyer Tennis Clubhouse. The semi-finals will be tomorrow and the championship match will be on Sunday at the same location.
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