Bears find stride, advance to LEC title match vs. WCSU

The third seeded Bridgewater State Women's Tennis team headed to Salem State Sunday in the semi final round of the LEC tournament, looking for some revenge for a tough regular season loss, which at the time, dropped them out of the top spot in the Little East regular season standings. The Lady Vikings had the home court advantage in the match but the Bears focus proved to be too much for the home squad and Bridgewater State, firing on all cylinders, took the match 5-1 to advance to the finals.

"Salem definitely deserved the win the first time we played them. On that day, we didn't play our best tennis, and they took advantage. This time we were on our game, giving it everything we had. When we are on our game, I think we're the best team in the LEC." Junior Co-Captain Jessica Francis said of the Bears post season revival.

Paramount to the Victory for BSC was getting off on the right foot with the doubles matches as the team has emphasized all year. The Bears took the first doubles match 8-6 curtesy of the Captain tandem of Lauren Donnelly and Francis. The second match went the way of BSC as well as Junior Rachel Elman and Senior Paulina Ucher finished off the Vikings respective tandem 8-2.

Finally the Bears earned a victory in the final doubles heat thanks to an 8-6 win by the duo of Senior Catarina Rosa and Sophomore Julie Kraby. This sweep in doubles earned Bridgewater State a quick 3 points requiring only two more points to close the match and secure the victory.

"We've stressed all throughout the season how important it is to sweep the doubles before going into singles competition. Sweeping doubles really paid off on Sunday and lead us to our exciting win." Francis explained.

The Bears were able to finish off Salem State quickly in the singles with the points coming from victories by Seniors Catarina Rosa (6-1, 6-4) and Paulina Ucher (6-2, 6-0) in their respective singles victories. The Bears may have found their stride in the first two rounds of the LEC tournament and are ready for the Title match.

Francis attributes righting the ship to the Bears will to win.

"Turning it around in Salem was a result of our focus, determination, and drive. We want to win more than any other team in the LEC, and it showed on Sunday." Said the Co-Captain.

Overall, It has been an up and down year so far for BSC as they started out on a torrid pace winning their first 9 events before dropping three of their last four matches resulting in a 10-3 regular season record.

One of the Bears late losses was to the top seeded Western Connecticut state who the bears will face in the Little East title match. This Bears squad, however, is different than the one that fell to Western Connecticut in early October.

BSC is riding high on victory but is not dwelling in the past as they advance to the title match. In fact Francis believes this team has been given new life through post season success thus far.

"We sort of lost the feeling that this was our year after that loss to Salem in the regular season, but after getting the three seed and beating Salem on Sunday, we have never believed in ourselves more than right now."

This confidence will surely be needed to take the LEC crown over a tough opponent who simply out played the Bears during the regular season earning an 8-1 victory. But Francis feels this is a different team and rejuvenated squad in prime position to compete for the title.

"We're playing our best tennis right now and staying focused on every point as it comes," said the Bears Co-Captain, adding:

"We're not looking back to matches we could have won, instead we are looking forward to the finals that we hope to win."

The Championship match was originally scheduled for Tuesday October 27th but was postponed due to rain until Thursday October 29th at 2 P.M. at Western Connecticut State. If the Bears can pull off the upset it will earn BSC its second NCAA tournament qualification ever and its first under new Coach Barry Gorman who is entering his second season with Bridgewater State.