STEUBENVILLE, Ohio -- In a matchup of undefeated conference teams, the Washington & Jefferson College women's tennis team suffered a 7-2 loss to Franciscan University of Steubenville in a Presidents' Athletic Conference match on Saturday afternoon. 

The loss drops W&J to 5-2 overall and 4-1 in PAC play. Franciscan improves to 9-1 overall and 6-0 in league matches. 

W&J struggled in doubles play, as Franciscan won all three flights. The Presidents earned a pair of victories in singles play. 

Earning wins for W&J were Nidhi Pulicherla (Chandler, Ariz./Hamilton) and Bella Goldman (Pittsburgh, Pa./Upper Saint Clair).

Pulicherla battled for a three-set victory at No. 2 singles. The freshman won the first set by a 6-2 margin before dropping a 7-6 (7-3) decision in the second set. Pulicherla then won the third-set tiebreaker by an 11-9 score. Goldman won in straight set scores of 6-3, 6-2 at No. 3 singles. 

Maya Krishnasamy (Ventura, Calif./Ventura) fell despite a valiant comeback attempt at No. 1 singles. Krishnasamy dropped the first set by a 6-3 score before earning a 7-6 (7-3) win in the second set. Her opponent, Maria Herrera, edged Krishnasamy by a 10-7 margin in the third-set tiebreaker. 

W&J hosts Westminster College in another Presidents' Athletic Conference showdown on Saturday, Oct. 9. Start time is set for 1 p.m. at the Janet Swanson Tennis Center.