PHILADELPHIA– The University of Pennsylvania's Esha Velaga defeated Penn State's Maiko Uchijima in the semifinals of the ITA Northeast Regional on Monday, Oct. 13 to advance to Tuesday's championship match.
 
Velaga won a tightly contested first set (7-6) as both players began the match with high intensity and a strong desire to win.
 
However, Velaga dominated the second set (6-1) as she secured her fifth win of the tournament.
 
With the win, Velaga qualified for the NCAA Singles Championships beginning on Nov. 18 in Orlando, Fla.
 
This is the third consecutive year that Velaga has qualified for the NCAA Tournament, making her the first player in Penn tennis history to do so.
 
Up Next
Velaga will play Princeton's Alice Ferlito tomorrow, Oct. 14 for a chance to win the ITA Northeast Singles Draw championship.