Women's Tennis | 10/20/2026 9:00:00 PM
TRAFFORD, Pa. (pacathletics.org) - Third-seeded Washington & Jefferson College and fourth-seeded Franciscan University secured spots in the Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) Women's Tennis Tournament semifinals with opening round wins on their home courts Tuesday.
W&J moved on following a 4-1 victory over No. 6 Westminster College, which sends the Presidents to No. 2 Grove City College for a 3 pm match on Tuesday. Franciscan's 4-2 triumph over No. 5 Geneva College means the Barons will travel to Meadville, Pa., Thursday to take on top seed Allegheny College at 4 pm.
The semifinal winners will meet in the PAC Tournament Championship Match, which is slated for Saturday, Oct. 24th at the highest remaining seed.
PAC Quarterfinal 1 - Washington, Pa.
No. 3 W&J 4, No. 6 Westminster 1
- Westminster (3-9) took an early 1-0 lead after taking two of three in doubles. W&J won 6-3 at No. 2, but Westminster evened the doubles count with a 7-6 (7-4) win at No. 1 by senior Emma Overlingas (Pittsburgh, Pa./Baldwin) and freshman Aurelia Hall (Milford, Ohio/Ursuline Academy).
- That meant the point came down to third doubles, which the Titans claimed again by a 7-6 score after freshman Grace Moore (Allison Park, Pa./Deer Lakes) and freshman Giada Cappabianco (New Castle, Pa./Neshannock) won the tiebreaker 7-3.
- The Presidents (10-5) answered quickly in singles play, taking a 2-1 lead after 6-0, 6-0 decisions were won by freshman Keira Ross (Bethel Park, Pa./Bethel Park) at No. 5 and senior Claire Loomis (Pittsburgh, Pa./Upper St. Clair) at No. 2.
- W&J moved within a point of the win following a 6-0, 6-1 victory at No. 6 by sophomore Austyn Paugh (Jane Lew, W.Va./Notre Dame).
- The clinching point was earned by sophomore Bella Graham (Altoona, Pa./Altoona Area) at No. 4 when she closed out a 6-2, 6-2 win to advance W&J to the semifinals for the second year in a row.
PAC Quarterfinal 2 - Steubenville, Ohio
No. 4 Franciscan 4, No. 5 Geneva 2
- Similar to the other quarterfinal, the home team had to rally after losing the doubles point. Geneva (6-6) moved in front following a 6-2 win at No. 1 by junior Chloe DeSanzo (Beaver, Pa./Beaver) and senior Rachel Hodsden (Fort Collins, Col./Rocky Mountain) and a 6-4 victory by senior Caroline Reed (Canonsburg, Pa./Canon-McMillan) and sophomore Abigail Anderson (Allison Park, Pa./Agora Cyber Charter) at No. 2.
- The Golden Tornadoes logged a second point in singles action when DeSanzo rolled to a 6-1, 6-0 decision at No. 1.
- Franciscan (10-5) ended any hopes for an upset by scoring four straight-set wins, the most impressive coming from junior Sophia Pastura (Cincinnati, Ohio/Seton) at No. 5 (6-0, 6-2) and sophomore Colette Park (Alexandria, Va./Seton Home Study) at No. 2 (6-1, 6-3).
- The Barons clinched their spot in the semifinals when senior Hazel Mistry (Groves, Texas/Sabine Pass) won 6-4, 6-2 at No. 4 and junior Elizabeth Swift (Butler, Pa./Aquinas Academy) was a 6-1, 7-5 winner at No. 6.
PAC Semifinal Notes
- The first meeting this year between Grove City (10-1) and W&J was on Sept. 16th, a match won by Grove City by a 7-0 score in Washington.
- This is the first time the teams have played in the PAC Tournament since 2019 when W&J topped Grove City 5-3 in the championship match, which was the first and only PAC crown won by the Presidents to date.
- W&J did reach the PAC Championship match again in the spring season of 2021 but dropped a 5-4 decision to Franciscan.
- Grove City has won a PAC-leading 31 league titles, with the last coming in 2023 by a 5-2 score over Allegheny.
- Allegheny (9-1) completed its fifth consecutive undefeated PAC regular season slate with a 7-0 victory over Franciscan in Steubenville on Oct. 13.
- The last time the teams faced in the PAC Tournament was in the 2024 title match, a 4-3 thriller pulled out by Allegheny, with the deciding point coming down to a three-set match at No. 1 singles.
- Franciscan is looking for its third PAC title (2020-21/2021) and the Barons have played in the championship match four of the six years since joining the conference.
- Allegheny has reached the PAC title match all four years since returning to the conference prior to 2022-23. The Gators have three league championships in program history, including two straight.