Tartans Head to Championship Match After Defeating Washington

(ALTAMONTE SPRINGS, Fla.) - The No. 8 Carnegie Mellon University women's tennis team beat No. 9 Washington University of St. Louis, 6-3, in the semifinals of University Athletic Association (UAA) Tennis Championships Saturday afternoon.

The number two doubles pair of junior Angela Pratt (Saratoga, Calif./St. Francis) and freshman Nicholle Torres (Weston, Fla./Great Neck South) won 8-5 giving the Tartans one point at the conclusion of doubles. Washington won 8-6 and 8-4 at number one and number three doubles.

As singles play moved along, the Tartans took a 3-2 lead after senior Katie Cecil (Huntington Beach, Calif./Ocean View) and Torres won at the number three and four positions. Cecil only surrendered one game, winning 6-0, 6-1, while Torres finished off her opponent 6-2, 6-1.

Sophomore Brooke Tsu (Hillsborough, Calif./Burlingame) gave the Cardinal and Gray a 4-2 advantage when she won 6-2, 6-2 at number five singles before the Bears won at number one singles.

Sophomore Elizabeth Martin (St. Simons Island, Ga./Frederica Academy) had a brilliant shot to win her match at sixth singles (7-5, 6-4) and clinch the semifinal win for Carnegie Mellon over Washington University.  

The final score of the match was 6-3 in favor of the Tartans as freshman Vanessa Pavia (Thornwood, N.Y./Academy of our Lady of Good Counsel) won the final singles match of the day. After losing the first set 6-1, Pavia fought back and ended up winning the next two sets 7-5 and 6-3.

The Tartans advance to the championship match for the second straight year and sixth time in program history. The final will take place Sunday at 9:00 a.m. With the Tartans pitted against No. 2 Emory University.