PHILADELPHIA – The 69th-ranked Columbia women's tennis team battled but could not secure the road win, falling to Penn 4-3 on Friday afternoon at the Hamlin/Hecht Tennis Centers.

The Lions (11-8, 2-2 Ivy) secured the doubles point with wins at the No. 2 and No. 3 court. Fatima Keita and Winta Tewolde worked quickly to defeat Penn's duo of Gavriella Smith and Esha Velaga 6-1.
 
Penn (10-8, 3-1 Ivy) evened up the doubles matches with a victory at the No. 1 spot. Sabine Rutlauka and Eileen Wang defeated Columbia's duo of Gaythri Krishnan and Sophia Strugnell 6-3. The Lions secured the doubles point when Emily Baek and Sophia Wang defeated Maya Urata and Lara Stojanovski 6-3 at the No. 3 spot.
 
In singles play, the Lions got victories at the No. 1, and No. 4 spot. Playing at the No. 1 court, Krishnan defeated Rutlauka 6-1, 4-6, 6-2. At the No. 4 spot, Tewolde moved the Lions closer to the win, defeating Wang 7-6 (7-4), 6-3.
 
The remaining four matches were a battle. Maya Urata defeated Salma Farhat in straight sets, 6-3, 6-0 at the No. 6 spot. Esha Velaga defeated Keita 6-3, 7-5 at the No. 2 spot. Penn secured the win with wins at the No. 3 and No. 5 courts. Stojanovski defeated Wang 6-8 (6-8), 6-2, 6-3. And Gavriella Smith clinched the match for the Quakers with a 7-6 (10-8), 4-6, 7-5 win over Baek.

RESULTS
#69 Columbia 3, Penn 4

Singles
1. Gayathri Krishnan (COL) def. Sabine Rutlauka (PENN) 6-1, 4-6, 6-2
2. Esha Velaga (PENN) def. Fatima Keita (COL) 6-3, 7-5
3. Lara Stojanovski (PENN) def. Sophia Wang (COL) 6-8 (6-8), 6-2, 6-3
4. Winta Tewolde (COL) def. Eileen Wang (PENN) 7-6 (7-4), 6-3
5. Gavriella Smith (PENN) def. Emily Baek (COL) 7-6 (10-8), 4-6, 7-5
6. Maya Urata (PENN) def. Salma Farhat (COL) 6-3, 6-0
 
Doubles
1. Sabine Rutlauka/Eileen Wang (PENN) def. Gaythri Krishnan/Sophia Strugnell (COL) 6-3
2. Fatima Keita/Winta Tewolde (COL) def. Gavriella Smith/Esha Velaga (PENN) 6-1
3. Emily Baek/Sophia Wang (COL) def. Maya Urata/Lara Stojanovski (PENN) 6-3
 

UP NEXT
Columbia returns home for the remainder of the regular season, starting with a home contest against Princeton on Sunday, April 13. The match against the Tigers is scheduled to begin at 1:00 p.m.

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