Lehigh closes out regular season with matches at Bucknell, vs. Lafayette
Posted: 04/12/2012
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Lehigh (4-12, 1-2 PL) will look to win two in a row for the first time this season on Friday when the Mountain Hawks head to Lewisburg, Pa. to face the Bucknell Bison. The Mountain Hawks will also host the rival Lafayette Leopards on Monday to close out the regular season. The team is in the midst of its best stretch of the season, having won three of its last six matches.
Last time out Lehigh downed Colgate 4-3 for its first league victory of the season. The Mountain Hawks won two of three doubles matches and split six singles matches to clinch the victory. Sophomore Jenai Bilimoria and freshmen Abby Farrell and Gabby Drucker won both doubles and singles matches on the afternoon. Bilimoria and Farrell continue to tie for the team lead in singles victories with six apiece while Drucker now has five. Senior Liz Piscitelli also won her doubles match when she teamed with Drucker in the No. 2 spot. Piscitell has now won five of her last six doubles matches.
Bucknell (2-15, 0-2 PL) has lost five straight matches with the Bison’s lone victories of the season coming against Niagara and Long Island. The Bison will be seeking their first home victory of the season as both of its wins have come on neutral sites. Last weekend Bucknell lost matches to Colgate (4-3) and George Mason (5-2). The Bison have also faced Navy in Patriot League play, dropping a 5-2 decision. Lehigh last defeated Bucknell in 2006.
Lafayette (2-7, 0-2 PL) has won twice this spring with wins against Wagner and Rider. It will be a busy several days for the Leopards, who will play four matches in four days, concluding with Monday’s match with Lehigh. Lafayette will face Army and Holy Cross Friday and Saturday at West Point and then will host Bucknell on Sunday before visiting Lehigh Monday. Lehigh has held the upper hand in recent years against its rival, including a 4-3 win last year in Easton.
The Bucknell match was initially scheduled for Wednesday but was moved to Friday at 3 p.m. Monday’s match with Lafayette is also set for a 3 p.m. start from Lehigh’s Ulrich Varsity Courts.
Lehigh will also host the Patriot League women’s tennis tournament April 20-22 on the Goodman Campus.
Story by Antoine Williams ‘12