Saturday, February 9
New Haven, Conn.
5:00 PM
Columbia
4
vs
2
Penn
Photo by: Columbia University Athletics/Mike McLaughlin
Lions Advance to ECAC Final With 4-2 Win Over Penn
2/10/2019 12:09:00 AM | Women's Tennis
No. 2 seed Columbia to take on defending ECAC and Ivy League champion Princeton at 5 p.m. Sunday; Lions capture doubles point; Andrea Kevakian, Christie Wan and Akanksha Bhan all win singles matches.
NEW HAVEN, Conn.—No. 2 seed Columbia advanced to the ECAC Indoor Championship title match with a 4-2 victory over No. 6 seed Penn Saturday evening at Yale's Cullman-Heyman Tennis Center. With the victory, Columbia will take on No. 1 seed and defending ECAC champion Princeton on Sunday at 5 p.m.
A victory over Princeton would give Columbia its first ECAC Tournament Championship since it last won the title in 2016 when it defeated Yale, Dartmouth, Harvard in succession. It also won the title in 2014. Here is coverage of the 2016 ECAC title and here is coverage of 2014 ECAC title.
Columbia (4-1) won its fourth consecutive match. The Lions needed to battle back in several singles and doubles matches to claim the win. Columbia also started off with a 1-0 lead after capturing the doubles point.
"Today was a very solid win against a strong Penn team," Columbia Head Coach Ilene Weintraub said. "We were able to get the doubles point, something we have been working on in practice! It's great to see our effort and planning pay off. I am looking forward to the opportunity to play Princeton, the defending ECAC champions and defending Ivy League Champions tomorrow!"
The Lions took the doubles point with two straight doubles wins as sophomore Jennifer Kerr and senior Sarah Hu notched a 6-4 win at No. 3 doubles over Penn's Ashley Zhu and Mimi Levine, then first-year Akanksha Bhan and sophomore Paulina Ferrari won a 7-5 No. 1 match over Penn's Marta Kowalska and Marija Curnic. Penn's Julia Bryzgolova and OJ Singh won a 6-0 decision over Columbia sophomore Christie Wan and senior Andrea Kevakian.
Penn tied the match at 1-1 when Brzgolova won a 6-1, 7-5 decision over Kerr at No. 1 singles.
Kevakian claimed a 6-3, 6-3 win at No. 5 singles over Penn's Singh and Wan battled back for a 2-6, 6-2, 6-2 win at No. 3 singles over Penn's Curnic. Columbia won the match when first-year Akanksha Bhan took a come-from-behind 2-6, 6-2, 6-2 win over Kowalska at No. 2 singles.
"Today was an amazing team effort across the board," first-year Caitie Sullivan said. "Three of our teammates fighting back from difficult first set deficits to put themselves in winning positions is a true testament to the mental strength we have at every position. I know we are ready to compete in the finals tomorrow."
The Lions began ECAC Tournament play on Friday with a 4-2 win over host Yale where the Lions won four straight singles matches.
The ECAC Tournament bracket features all eight Ivy League teams, Columbia will play one match apiece on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. All matches are played at Yale's Cullman-Heyman Tennis Center with the Championship match taking place on Sunday.
ECAC INDOOR WOMEN'S TENNIS CHAMPIONSHIP RESULTS
Feb. 8-10, 2019 | New Haven, Conn. | Cullman-Heyman Tennis Center
Friday's Results
No. 4 Brown 4, No. 5 Dartmouth 3
No. 1 Princeton 5, No. 8 Cornell 0
No. 6 Penn 4, No. 3 Harvard 1
No. 2 Columbia 4, No. 7 Yale 2
Saturday's Results
No. 5 Dartmouth 4, No. 8 Cornell 1
No. 7 Yale 4, No. 3 Harvard 3
No. 1 Princeton 4, No. 4 Brown 1
No. 2 Columbia 4, No. 6 Penn 2
Sunday's Matchups
No. 8 Cornell vs. No. 3 Harvard, 8 a.m.
No. 5 Dartmouth vs. No. 7 Yale, 11 a.m.
No. 4 Brown vs. No. 6 Penn, 2 p.m.
Championship Match: No. 1 Princeton vs. No. 2 Columbia, 5 p.m.
A victory over Princeton would give Columbia its first ECAC Tournament Championship since it last won the title in 2016 when it defeated Yale, Dartmouth, Harvard in succession. It also won the title in 2014. Here is coverage of the 2016 ECAC title and here is coverage of 2014 ECAC title.
Columbia (4-1) won its fourth consecutive match. The Lions needed to battle back in several singles and doubles matches to claim the win. Columbia also started off with a 1-0 lead after capturing the doubles point.
"Today was a very solid win against a strong Penn team," Columbia Head Coach Ilene Weintraub said. "We were able to get the doubles point, something we have been working on in practice! It's great to see our effort and planning pay off. I am looking forward to the opportunity to play Princeton, the defending ECAC champions and defending Ivy League Champions tomorrow!"
The Lions took the doubles point with two straight doubles wins as sophomore Jennifer Kerr and senior Sarah Hu notched a 6-4 win at No. 3 doubles over Penn's Ashley Zhu and Mimi Levine, then first-year Akanksha Bhan and sophomore Paulina Ferrari won a 7-5 No. 1 match over Penn's Marta Kowalska and Marija Curnic. Penn's Julia Bryzgolova and OJ Singh won a 6-0 decision over Columbia sophomore Christie Wan and senior Andrea Kevakian.
Penn tied the match at 1-1 when Brzgolova won a 6-1, 7-5 decision over Kerr at No. 1 singles.
Kevakian claimed a 6-3, 6-3 win at No. 5 singles over Penn's Singh and Wan battled back for a 2-6, 6-2, 6-2 win at No. 3 singles over Penn's Curnic. Columbia won the match when first-year Akanksha Bhan took a come-from-behind 2-6, 6-2, 6-2 win over Kowalska at No. 2 singles.
"Today was an amazing team effort across the board," first-year Caitie Sullivan said. "Three of our teammates fighting back from difficult first set deficits to put themselves in winning positions is a true testament to the mental strength we have at every position. I know we are ready to compete in the finals tomorrow."
The Lions began ECAC Tournament play on Friday with a 4-2 win over host Yale where the Lions won four straight singles matches.
The ECAC Tournament bracket features all eight Ivy League teams, Columbia will play one match apiece on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. All matches are played at Yale's Cullman-Heyman Tennis Center with the Championship match taking place on Sunday.
ECAC INDOOR WOMEN'S TENNIS CHAMPIONSHIP RESULTS
Feb. 8-10, 2019 | New Haven, Conn. | Cullman-Heyman Tennis Center
Friday's Results
No. 4 Brown 4, No. 5 Dartmouth 3
No. 1 Princeton 5, No. 8 Cornell 0
No. 6 Penn 4, No. 3 Harvard 1
No. 2 Columbia 4, No. 7 Yale 2
Saturday's Results
No. 5 Dartmouth 4, No. 8 Cornell 1
No. 7 Yale 4, No. 3 Harvard 3
No. 1 Princeton 4, No. 4 Brown 1
No. 2 Columbia 4, No. 6 Penn 2
Sunday's Matchups
No. 8 Cornell vs. No. 3 Harvard, 8 a.m.
No. 5 Dartmouth vs. No. 7 Yale, 11 a.m.
No. 4 Brown vs. No. 6 Penn, 2 p.m.
Championship Match: No. 1 Princeton vs. No. 2 Columbia, 5 p.m.
Players Mentioned
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
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