Posted: April 15, 2009
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Lehigh suffered its first Patriot League loss of the season as Bucknell handed the Mountain Hawks a 4-3 setback Wednesday inside the Lewis Tennis Center. The Bison won the doubles point and clinched the match winning three singles matches before the Mountain Hawks won the last three matches. Lehigh, which was on the courts for the first time in 10 days, falls to 5-9 overall and 2-1 in league matches.
Bucknell captured the first point with wins at first and third doubles, but Lehigh did pick up a win at No. 2 doubles, where junior Julie Arthofer and freshman Liz Piscitelli downed Tania Varela and Carlin Calcaterra 8-7 after winning the tiebreak 8-6.
In singles play, the Bison extended their lead with Demi Iepuias’ straight set win over Piscitelli at No. 4 singles. Tania Varela downed Ariela Cohen 6-2, 6-2 at No. 1 singles, while Paulina Gamboa clinched the match for Bucknell (14-6, 3-1) with a 6-3, 6-1 win over senior Allie Schwartz.
Arthofer put Lehigh on the board with a 6-0, 7-5 win over Dara Dwojewski at No. 4 singles. The Mountain Hawks also picked up wins at the bottom two flights, as junior Stacey Reich beat Ashley Globerman in straight sets at No. 5 singles and senior Ruthie Furman won a third set tiebreak over Lauren Rothkamp at No. 6 singles.
The Mountain Hawks will return to action on Sunday when they travel to West Point, N.Y. to face first-place Army. The match is scheduled for a 3 p.m. start.
Bucknell 4, Lehigh 3
Doubles
1. Gamboa/Lucido (BU) def. Schwartz/Cohen (LU) 8-2
2. Arthofer/Piscitelli (LU) def. Varela/Calcaterra (BU) 8-7 (8-6)
3. Globerman/Dwojewski (BU) def. Reich/Furman (LU) 8-5
Singles
1. Tania Varela (BU) def. Ariela Cohen (LU) 6-2, 6-2
2. Paulina Gamboa (BU) def. Allie Schwartz (LU) 6-3, 6-1
3. Julie Arthofer (LU) def. Dara Dwojewski (BU) 6-0, 7-5
4. Demi Iepuias (BU) def. Liz Piscitelli (LU) 6-2, 6-0
5. Stacey Reich (LU) def. Ashley Globerman (BU) 7-6, 6-2
6. Ruthie Furman (LU) def. Lauren Rothkamp (BU) 7-5, 0-6, 10-7