Women's Tennis | 10/18/2025 7:00:00 PM

MEADVILLE, Pa. (pacathletics.org) - The Allegheny College women's tennis program secured its second consecutive Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) Women's Tennis Tournament championship Saturday by defeating visiting Grove City College 4-1 at the Gators' Robertson Tennis Complex.

In addition to repeating as PAC champions, Allegheny improved to 12-0 this season. The Gators' win marks just the second time since the PAC implemented a team bracket format in 2018 that a team has won back-to-back crowns and first since Franciscan University repeated in the spring of 2021 and again in the fall of 2021.

Allegheny seized control of the match with wins at first and second doubles to earn that point and carry a 1-0 advantage into singles. The initial win came at second doubles, where freshman Gabrielle Bassette (Miami, Fla./Miami Country Day School) and senior Maria Lounder (Pittsburgh, Pa./Moon) won by a 6-0 score. The doubles point was clinched with a 6-2 triumph at No. 2 doubles by sophomore Evie Ellenberger (Pittsburgh, Pa./Upper St. Clair) and junior Emiliia Grydnieva (Kyiv, Ukraine/Optima).

The Gators would clinch the match with winning decisions from the bottom half of their singles line-up. Ellenberger was the first singles win at No. 4 with a 6-2, 6-3 decision, which was followed by senior Rei Etsumi (Honolulu, Hawaii/President William McKinley) notching a 6-3, 6-3 victory at No. 6. Grove City (9-4) stayed alive with a 6-4, 6-3 win at second singles from freshman Grace Yurko (Reisterstown, Md./St. Paul's).

The match would only last a few more minutes after that, as Lounder closed out a 6-2, 6-3 victory at fifth singles for her second win of the day and the clincher for Allegheny's second straight conference championship. Coupled with a pair of wins in the Gators' win over Washington & Jefferson College in Thursday's semifinals, Lounder went 4-0 for the week and was named the Most Outstanding Player of the Tournament.

Also earning All-Tournament Team laurels for the champion Gators was Bassette and Ellenberger, who were both 3-0 in Tournament play this week. 

Representing Grove City on the All-Tournament Team was junior Peyton Joines (Glen Rock, Pa./Susquehannock) and freshman Grace Stitt (Gibsonia, Pa./Hampton).

By winning their third title in four years since returning to the PAC, the Gators also secured the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. Team selections will be announced Monday, May 4, 2026. The opening weekend of the Division III Championships which will feature first, second and third round matches, will be Friday-Sunday, May 8-10.