WASHINGTON, Pa. (pacathletics.org)--Second-seeded Franciscan University won a pair of doubles matches before earning wins at second, third and fourth singles, respectively, to claim a 5-4 win over No. 4 Washington & Jefferson College in the Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) Women's Tennis Championship Tournament title match Saturday afternoon. 

This year's PAC Championship Tournament featured a six-team championship bracket format. Seeding was determined and approved by a vote of the league's directors of athletics.  

Saturday's championship match utilized the nine-point team format with matches played to decision (first team to 5 individual match wins). This weekend's matches were hosted by W&J at its on-campus Janet Swanson Tennis Center, which has served as the home site for the Presidents’ teams since 2015. 

Franciscan (8-2) entered singles play up 2-1. Franciscan freshman Maria Herrera (Houston, Texas | Clear Brook) and senior Ana Victoria Haddad (Chihuahua, Mexico | Prepa Anahuac) logged an 8-2 win over W&J (4-3) junior Maya Krishnasamy (Ventura, Calif. | Ventura) and senior Julia Shaffer (Ebensburg, Pa. | Central Cambria) at first doubles before junior Zoey Stapleton (Palmyra, Pa. | Bishop McDevitt) and freshman Susan Schuberg (Moorpark, Calif. | St. Augustine Academy) earned an 8-3 win over freshman Jaelyn Kennedy (Pottstown, Pa. | Pottsgrove) and freshman Libby Conlon (Renfrew, Pa. | Knoch) at second doubles. 

At third singles Stapleton defeated sophomore Victoria Wilson (Butler, Pa. | North Catholic) 6-1, 6-1 and at fourth singles Picard defeated Kennedy 6-3, 6-2. 

Haddad clinched the match for Franciscan at second singles with a 7-6 (7-5), 2-6, 6-2 win over Goldman.  

Haddad was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player after Saturday's title match. 

As the winner of the PAC Championship Tournament, Franciscan will receive the conference's automatic-qualifying bid to the NCAA Division III Championship. The field for this year’s Division III Championship is scheduled to be announced Monday, May 10 with first, second and third rounds slated for Friday-Sunday, May 14-16. 
 

2020-21 PAC Women's Tennis Championship Tournament
Tuesday, April 20 Start times tentative
3:30 p.m.	Quarterfinal	3 Grove City 9, No. 6 Thiel 0	Grove City, Pa.
4 p.m.	Quarterfinal	No. 4 W&J 6, No. 5 Geneva 3	Washington, Pa.
Friday, April 23 Start times tentative
1 p.m.	Semifinal (1)	No. 4 W&J vs. No. 1 Westminster [Cancelled]	Washington, Pa.
4 p.m.	Semifinal (2)	No. 2 Franciscan 5, No. 3 Grove City 4	Washington, Pa.
Saturday, April 24 Start times tentative
12 p.m.	Championship	No. 2 Franciscan 5, No. 4 W&J 4	Washington, Pa.