TRAFFORD, Pa. (pacathletics.org) - With quarterfinal victories Tuesday, Franciscan University and Westminster College advanced to the Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) Women's Tennis Tournament semifinals, which will be played Thursday.

Tuesday afternoon saw fourth-seeded Westminster (10-5) post a decisive 5-0 victory over fifth seed Washington & Jefferson (5-6) in New Wilmington, Pa.. The evening match was played in Steubenville, Ohio, where #3 Franciscan (9-3) advanced with a 5-1 win over #6 Saint Vincent College (9-6).

With the victories, Westminster will now travel to Meadville, Pa., to take on top-seeded Allegheny College (9-1), while Franciscan will be on the road to face second seed Grove City College (10-3). Thursday's semifinal winners will meet in the PAC Championship match Saturday, Oct. 21 at the highest remaining seed.

Westminster opened their quarterfinal with W&J by sweeping the three doubles matches to take a commanding lead. At second doubles, senior Caroline Fox (Acton, Calif./Vasquez) and junior Ryleigh Valone (Erie, Pa./Villa Maria Academy) were winners by an 8-4 count, while the #1 tandem of junior Gia Francisco (Canfield, Ohio/Canfield) and sophomore Christine Rossi (Jefferson Hills, Pa./Thomas Jefferson) and the #3 team of junior Taylor Dlugozima (Volant, Pa./Wilmington) and freshman Emma Overlingas (Pittsburgh, Pa./Baldwin) secured 8-5 triumphs. 

Once in singles, the Titans needed just two points to advance. Overlingas earned the first, winning 6-0, 6-0 at No. 5 and then Fox clinched the match with a 6-3, 6-0 win at No. 4 to get the Titans a rematch with Allegheny. The Gators won the regular season meeting between the teams 6-3 on Oct. 6 in New Wilmington.

The second quarterfinal of the day was a little closer after doubles play before Franciscan pulled away for the victory. The Barons did roll to an 8-0 win at first doubles by senior Maria Herrera (Houston, Texas/Clear Brook) and sophomore Claire Cardy (Dublin, Pa./Archbishop Wood) and an 8-2 decision at second doubles by junior Olivia Colby (Merrimac, Mass./Pentucket Regional) and sophomore Veronica Saunders (Mukwonago, Wis./Kolbe Academy).

Saint Vincent would prevent the doubles sweep however, as the Bearcats' third tandem of junior Lydia Lieb (Dysart, Pa./Hollidaysburg) and junior Abby Donnelly (Washington, Pa./McGuffey) rallied to pull out an 8-7(5) victory and make it a 2-1 Franciscan lead going into singles.

The Barons would secure their spot in the semifinals by winning first/second/sixth singles in straight sets. Colby was a 6-0, 6-0 winner at #2, while Herrera came away with a 6-1, 6-1 victory at #1. The final win was at sixth singles, where sophomore Delaney Dawson (Lima, Ohio/Lima Shawnee) was a 6-0, 6-3 winner to clinch another Barons' trip to Grove City. Franciscan will also be looking to avenge a regular season loss, as the Wolverines pulled out a 5-4 triumph when the teams met Oct. 6 in Grove City.