In a competition against Villanova on March 29, the women’s tennis team suffered a tough 4-3 loss to the Wildcats. Despite their defeat, the Bison had several impressive performances in the doubles matches. The Orange and Blue continue on with a 6-5 winning record.

Maria Cioffi ’16 and Michele Urbinati ’17 served the Wildcats in a 6-4 win in the top seeded section. Lisa Jouravleva ’18 and Lauren Fishbein ’19 dominated the competition with a 6-3 victory in the second-seeded section in doubles play.

Cioffi has yet to lose a match in a month. She defeated her Villanova opponent with ease in the 6-0, 6-3 match. After this match, she improved her streak to seven straight wins, bringing her spring record to 8-2 and 17-4 overall. In No. 4 singles, Mishi Papich ’19 had a 6-0, 6-4 victory to bring her spring record to a notable 5-3.

“I feel really great about the past matches. I am stronger than ever and since it is my senior year, I am looking to get the most out of my last season at Bucknell,” Cioffi said. “I hope to continue my streak as we are quickly approaching Patriot League Championships. It would mean so much if I could end the season with wins and compete to the best of my ability.”

The nail-biting match came down to No. 6 singles to determine the winner. The Bison fell to Villanova with the 7-5, 7-5 decision.

These tough losses are not new for the Bison. In the regular season, there have been several matches that were decided by a mere point. The Orange and Blue will open league play in their next match and host Loyola and Colgate April 2-3.