LEWISBURG, Pa. – The Navy women's tennis team (14-4, 2-0 PL) picked up its fifth-straight win and earned another Patriot League victory on Sunday afternoon, defeating Bucknell (9-11, 1-2 PL) by a 6-1 score at the Varsity Tennis Courts in Lewisburg, Pa.
 
Playing outdoors for the first time in league action this season, the Midshipmen found themselves in an early hole after doubles play despite sophomores Kate Lee and Parvathi Shanker notching a 6-0 win on the No. 2 court over Tyne Miller and Anna Lajos, as the No. 3 Bison duo of Madi Sebulsky and Caroline Marcus beat sophomore Sylvia Eklund and junior Stella Ribaudo, 6-3, to even doubles action. Bucknell took the doubles point when Whitney King and Abby Platt partnered to upset the top Navy pairing of sophomore Emily Tannenbaum and junior Samantha Johns in a tiebreaker, 7-6 (7-3).
 
Navy started to climb out of the hole with the No. 5 singles match, as Lee made quick work of Novak, 6-1, 6-3, and the Mids went ahead when Ribaudo tallied a 6-2, 6-4 win in the No. 2 spot against Lajos.
 
Tannenbaum added to the lead with a 6-2, 6-4 victory over King in the top contest, while freshman Hanna Elks Smith clinched Navy's second league win when she knocked off Mirra Manolov in a 7-6 (7-0), 6-2 battle on the No. 6 court.
 
Fellow freshman Sia Chaudry tacked on another point for the Mids at the No. 3 position when she defeated Miller in three sets (6-2, 2-6, 6-0) and senior captain Casey Accola closed out the day with her own three-set win over Platt at No. 4 singles, 4-6, 6-4, 6-3.
 
Keith Puryear Post-Match Comments
"We knew it would be a challenge going from indoor conditions the day before at Lehigh to fairly blustery outdoor conditions today against Bucknell. Coach Ale Pedergnana and I felt we managed that challenge well as well as the challenges faced by competing against a very solid Bucknell team. We bounced back well from the loss of the doubles point, and, even then, Kate and Parvathi played a very comprehensive No. 2 doubles match while Emily and Sam lost a very tight set at No. 1 doubles.
 
"Winning the first set at five of the six singles matches was key to regaining the upper hand. Kate, Stella, Emily, and Hanna then did a good job of finishing in straights sets, while Casey and Sia battled to win in three-setters. We look forward to a solid week of practice to prepare for Army and the challenges that will be faced going there to compete for the Star."
 
Notes
• Navy is now 16-2 in the all-time series with Bucknell.
• Smith has now won her last seven singles matches, while Tannenbaum is on a four-match win streak.
• Tannenbaum's 24 singles victories this season ties her freshman-year total.
 
Up Next
Navy heads up to West Point, N.Y., on Saturday, April 1 for the annual Star match with Army. The Mids and Black Knights are set for an 11 a.m. opening serve.