PHILADELPHIA– The University of Pennsylvania's Esha Velaga won the 2025 ITA Northeast Women's Singles Championship on Tuesday, Oct. 14.
 
Velaga has now won the singles championship for the second time in three years, this time defeating Princeton's Alice Ferlito (3-6, 7-5, 7-5).
 
Ferlito jumped out to an early 4-1 lead in the first set, setting the tone early on in the match.
 
Velaga clawed back to make it a 5-3 match before Ferlito fired the set-winning shot to win the opening set 6-3.
 
Velaga entered the second set with a high sense of urgency, refusing to let her opponent clinch the win.
 
The second set came down to the wire as neither player led by more than one point throughout the match.
 
The match was tied 5-5 as Ferlito came close to closing out the win, but Velaga persevered delivering the final two blows and taking the second set 7-5.
 
Ferlito took an early 2-0 lead in the third set as Velaga started to lose her momentum.
 
However, after going back to her bench and getting a pep talk from Head Coach Sanela Kunovac, Velaga found her spark again.
 
The Quakers star went on a 4-0 run as she found herself leading the final set 4-2.
 
But Ferlito would not surrender easily as she adjusted and quickly tied the set, 4-4.
 
Both players fought vehemently, splitting points as the game was tied again, 5-5.
 
Velaga's elite physical endurance and composure ultimately decided the match as Ferlito seemed to run out of gas.
 
The Quakers have now won the ITA Northeast Regional singles championship for the third straight season.
 
Velaga has won two of the last three singles championships, falling to teammate Sabine Rutlauka last year.