Art Cordova
Staff Writer
The Franciscan University of Steubenville women’s tennis team was narrowly defeated by the Allegheny Gators in the PAC championship 4-3 Monday Oct. 21 at 3 p.m.
This showdown against the Gators saw the Barons repeat the match-up of the 2022 PAC Championship in Meadville, PA. The bout was no repeat, however, of the 5-0 Gator victory (two matches were unfinished due to rain) back on Sept. 25 when the two clashed in Steubenville, Ohio.
The doubles point was secured by the Barons after duos senior Olivia Colby and sophomore Jordan Beltavski along with junior Claire Cardie and junior Kina Ehlers won their matches at 6-1 and 7-5 respectively.
With morale high, a contentious six matches of singles followed where the lead was quickly tied up with Allegheny’s Evie Ellenberger win over Junior Margaret Vernau with an impressive 6-0 and 6-1 scoring.
Ehlers secured her point against Nicole Serna Cassan, placing the Barons back in the lead with an impressive two sets victory. With this, Ehlers sits at 13-0 in single matches for the season.
Colby defeated Rei Etsumi in a 6-2 and 6-3 set, asserting that same pressure she gave in the doubles match to her singles. This placed the Barons one point away from taking home the PAC championship at 3-1.
However, an impressive retaliation was made by the Gators with Maria Lounder defeating sophomore Hazel Mistry 6-4 in set one, and despite Mistry’s impressive three-point rally, 6-0 in set two.
The Gators then tied the score 3-3 after a 6-0 first set and 6-1 second set match against Beltavski.
The final match ended after nearly three hours of heated play between Cardie and Emiliia Grydnieva, where Allegheny won the first set 6-3, but in the second set, Cardie forced a tiebreaker which she won at 7-2. With a tie secured, everything came down to a third set match where Cardie forced another tiebreaker after being down 5-4 but Grydnieva closed in and won 7-4.
With the championship concluded, this will wrap up women’s tennis for the semester. There will be games during the unofficial spring season so be on the look out for that schedule at Franciscan’s athletics’ website.