GREENSBURG, Pa. -- The second-seeded Washington & Jefferson College women's tennis team upended third-seeded Westminster College by a 5-2 score Saturday night in the Presidents' Athletic Conference Tournament Semifinals at the Greensburg Racquet Club in Westmoreland County. 

With the win W&J advances to face top-seeded Franciscan University of Steubenville in the PAC Championship match on Wednesday, Oct. 27. The match will be played at the Janet Swanson Center if the weather permits. The W&J/Franciscan meeting will be a rematch of the 2021 spring title match. The Barons edged the Presidents by a 5-4 margin. 

The Presidents opened the match with a 2-1 lead after the three doubles matches. Maya Krishnasamy (Ventura, Calif./Ventura) teamed with Bella Goldman (Pittsburgh, Pa./Upper Saint Clair) to earn a hard-fought 8-6 decision at first doubles. Nidhi Pulicherla (Chandler, Ariz./Hamilton) and Libby Conlon (Renfrew, Pa./Knoch) playing together for the first time all season, edged the Titans team by an 8-7 (8-6) score at No. 3 doubles position. 

Goldman opened singles play with a 6-3, 6-1 straight set win at the third position. Krishnasamy followed with a 6-1, 6-0 victory at the top singles spot. Krishnasamy, the lone Presidents senior, is 44-7 all-time in her singles career, which includes a 33-2 record against PAC opponents. 

After Westminster earned a victory at the No. 4 position, W&J clinched the match with a Pooja Potluri (West Fargo, N.D./West Fargo) victory at No. 6. Potluri won by a 6-4, 6-1 score.

W&J improves to 8-2 in 2021 while Westminster concludes its fall season at 10-3 overall. 

Singles competition
1. Maya Krishnasamy (WJC) def. Emma Sukal (WES) 6-1, 6-0
2. Nidhi Pulicherla (WJC) vs. Sabrina Slagle (WES) 6-3, unfinished
3. Bella Goldman (WJC) def. Gia Francisco (WES) 6-3, 6-1
4. Caroline Fox (WES) def. Victoria Wilson (WJC) 6-3, 6-1
5. Libby Conlon (WJC) vs. Ryleigh Valone (WES) 6-4, unfinished
6. Pooja Potluri (WJC) def. Taylor Dlugozima (WES) 6-4, 6-1
 
Doubles competition
1. Maya Krishnasamy/Bella Goldman (WJC) def. Emma Sukal/Gia Francisco (WES) 8-6
2. Sabrina Slagle/Caroline Fox (WES) def. Jaelyn Kennedy/Victoria Wilson (WJC) 8-3
3. Nidhi Pulicherla/Libby Conlon (WJC) def. Ryleigh Valone/Taylor Dlugozima (WES) 8-7 (8-6)
 
 
Match Notes
Westminster 10-3
W&J 8-2
Order of finish: Doubles (2,3,1); Singles (3,1,4,6)
2021 PAC Women's Tennis Championship Tournament: Semifinal 2
No. 3 Westminster vs. No. 2 W&J
Started doubles at 6:41 p.m.
Started singles at 7:52 p.m.
Official: John DeLaura T-2:58 A-137