NEW HAVEN, Conn. – The University of Pennsylvania women's tennis team fell for the first time in 2019 on Saturday evening to Columbia, 4-2, in a battle much closer than the final score would suggest, thanks to three singles matches that were pushed to third sets in the ECAC Championship semifinal.

Penn will take on Brown for third place on Sunday at 2 p.m.

Saturday marked the first time that the Quakers were unable to snatch the doubles point after the Lions took both No. 1 and 3. Iuliia Bryzgalova and OJ Singh stayed undefeated this season in doubles play with a convincing 6-0 win at No. 2.

Bryzgalova took care of business in singles as well, winning 6-1, 7-5 at No. 1, improving to 18-2 through her freshman campaign. Ashley Zhu and Singh split tight two-setters with Zhu giving Penn its second point, leaving only the matches at No. 2, 3 and 6 to find a winner. All three needed a third set, but Marta Kowalska and Marija Curnic each fell 6-2 in the third after moving ahead and taking the first sets. Mimi Levine was inching toward the finish line in the third set but the match was called before it was final.

Columbia 4, Penn 2
Doubles:
1. Akanksha Bhan/Paulina Ferrari (Columbia) def. Marta Kowalska/Marija Curnic (Penn) 7-5
2. Iuliia Bryzgalova/OJ Singh (Penn) def. Christie Wan/Andrea Kevakian (Columbia) 6-0
3. Jennifer Kerr /Sarah Hu (Columbia) def. Ashley Zhu/Mimi Levine (Penn) 6-4

Singles:
1. Iuliia Bryzgalova (Penn) def. Jennifer Kerr (Columbia) 6-1, 7-5
2. Akanksha Bhan (Columbia) def. Marta Kowalska (Penn) 2-6, 6-2, 6-2
3. Christie Wan (Columbia) def. Marija Curnic (Penn) 2-6, 6-2, 6-2
4. Ashley Zhu (Penn) def. Melissa Sakar (Columbia) 6-4, 6-4
5. Andrea Kevakian (Columbia) def. OJ Singh (Penn) 6-3, 6-3
6. Mimi Levine (Penn) vs. Sarah Hu (Columbia) DNF

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