LA ROCHE, PENN ST. ALTOONA ADVANCE TO WOMEN'S TENNIS SEMIFINALS

#3 La Roche College and #4 Penn St. Altoona both picked up victories in the first round of the AMCC women's tennis championship tournament on Saturday afternoon. Both teams will advance to the semifinals, to be held at The Club/Sport & Health in Monroeville, PA on October 15. 

La Roche 5, Mount Aloysius 1
The La Roche women's tennis team advanced to the AMCC Tournament Semifinals for the second time in school history after defeating Mount Aloysius on Saturday afternoon. The Redhawks used a 5-1 victory in the quarterfinals to advance.

La Roche went a perfect 3-0 in doubles to take control of the match. Senior Monique Cooper and sophomore Chardai Guthrie cruised to an 8-3 win at #3 doubles while #1 sophomore Miranda Lashner/junior Kylie Banister and #2 senior Sarah Brunner/senior Emily Huwe both had to overcome deficits for 8-6 wins.

The Redhawks were in the driver's seat after sweeping doubles play. #1 Brunner dropped a hard-fought three set affair at #1 singles but #2 Bannister and #6 Huwe won in straight sets to send La Roche into the tournament semifinals. (Per AMCC Tournament Rules the match is over after a team reaches 5 points).

La Roche will now turn their focus to Penn State Behrend who they will meet in the AMCC Tournament Semifinals next week.

Penn State Altoona 5, Pitt-Greensburg 0
In Saturday afternoon's AMCC tournament first round match at ProCare Fitness Center, #4 Penn State Altoona cruised to a 5-0 win over #5 Pitt-Greensburg.

With the win, the Lady Lions will advance to take on #1 Franciscan University in the AMCC semifinal round next Saturday.

Penn State Altoona (6-5, 5-3 AMCC) swept all three doubles matches to take a commanding 3-0 lead heading into singles.

In #1 doubles, senior Michelle Colucci/freshman Brayley Lewis were victorious by a score of 8-1. In the #2 slot, the freshmen duo of Kate Hugendubler/Madelyn Seidel also won 8-1. In #3 doubles, freshmen Taylor Stoudnour/Annie Ruggles combined to win by an 8-3 decision.

The Lady Lions proceeded to win the first two completed singles matches, halting play for the day by clinching the match victory.

Lewis prevailed 6-4, 6-3 in No. 2 singles, and Hugendubler also earned a 6-4, 6-3 win in the No. 3 singles match.