GREENSBURG, Pa. (pacathletics.org)--Top-seeded Franciscan University won all three doubles matches before earning wins at No. 1 and No. 2 singles, respectively, to claim a 5-0 win over No. 2 Washington & Jefferson College in the Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) Women's Tennis Championship Tournament title match Saturday evening. 

The title match was played at the Greensburg Racquet Club. 

This year's PAC Championship Tournament featured a six-team championship bracket format. Saturday's championship match utilizing the nine-point team format with matches played to decision (first team to 5 individual match wins). 

Franciscan sophomore Maria Herrera (Houston, Texas | Clear Brook) was named the championship tournament's Most Outstanding Player after Saturday's title match. 

Franciscan entered singles play up 3-0. Herrera and freshman Olivia Colby (Merrimac, Mass. | Pentucket Regional) earned an 8-3 win over W&J senior Maya Krishnasamy (Ventura, Calif. | Ventura) and junior Bella Goldman (Pittsburgh, Pa. | Upper St. Clair) at No. 1 doubles. Senior Zoey Stapleton (Palmyra, Pa. | Bishop McDevitt) and junior Haley Davinsizer (Cranberry Township, Pa. | Seneca Valley) picked up an 8-4 victory over sophomore Jaelyn Kennedy (Pottstown, Pa. | Pottsgrove) and junior Victoria Wilson (Butler, Pa. | North Catholic) at No. 2 doubles. Junior Caroline Picard (Mobile, Ala. | McGill-Toolen Catholic) and freshman Laina Anderson won 8-4 at No. 3 doubles, defeating freshman Nidhi Pulicherla (Chandler, Ariz. | Hamilton) and sophomore Libby Conlon (Renfrew, Pa. | Knoch). 

Herrera secured a 6-2, 6-2 victory over Krishnasamy at No. 1 singles before Colby clinched the match with a 6-2, 6-3 win over Pulicherla at No. 2 singles. 

As the winner of the PAC Championship Tournament, Franciscan will receive the PAC’s automatic qualifying bid to the NCAA Division III Championships. The field for this year's Division III Championships will be announced Monday, May 9, 2022. The first round of the Division III Championships is slated for Thursday, May 12. 
 

2021 PAC Women's Tennis Championship Tournament
Tuesday, October 19 Start times tentative
3:30 p.m.	Quarterfinal	No. 3 Westminster 9, No. 6 Thiel 0	New Wilmington, Pa.
3:30 p.m.	Quarterfinal	No. 4 Grove City 7, No. 5 Saint Vincent 2	Grove City, Pa.
Saturday, October 23 Start times tentative
3 p.m.	Semifinal (1)	No. 1 Franciscan 5, No. 4 Grove City 1	Greensburg, Pa.
6:30 p.m.	Semifinal (2)	No. 2 W&J 5, No. 3 Westminster 2	Greensburg, Pa.
Saturday, November 6 Start times tentative
4 p.m.	Championship	No. 1 Franciscan 5, No. 2 W&J 0	Greensburg, Pa.