April 20, 2003

LEWISBURG, Pa. - Bucknell's Sam Berthod yielded only two games en route to a straight-set win at No. 6 singles, but American claimed the other five singles tilts and secured a 6-1 victory over the Bison Saturday afternoon.

The loss dropped the Bison to 14-5 overall and 1-3 in Patriot League play. Bucknell can still grab the fourth Patriot League Tournament position with a win over Lehigh on Wednesday.

American (9-7, 3-2) took all three doubles matches to begin the afternoon with a 1-0 lead. Berthod and Rheanna Gaskin, Bucknell's No. 3 tandem, extended Ashley Retlev and Brandi Kligman to a tiebreaker before falling 10-8.

Bethod improved to 21-6 in singles with her 6-1, 6-1 victory over Kligman at No. 6 singles.

Bison sophomore Nada Curcic won the first set, 7-6 (7-2), from Katarina Kollarova before eventually falling 10-5 in a third-set super tiebreaker.

Kristina Georgieva, Aleksandra Zerkalova, Olga Mikhailova and Retlev all won in straight sets for the Eagles.

Bucknell's pivotal match against Lehigh is slated for 3:30 p.m. Wednesday in Bethlehem, Pa.

American 6, Bucknell 1
Doubles (best 2-of-3 for one team point)
1. Katarina Kollarova/ Kristina Georgieva (A) def. Nada Curcic/Veronica Brown, 8-5.
2. Aleksandra Zerkalova/Olga Mikhailova (A) def. Tanya Sichko/Jill Wurzburg, 8-1.
3. Ashley Retlev/Brandi Kligman (A) def. Rheanna Gaskin/Sam Berthod, 9-8 (8).

Singles
1. Kollarova (A) def. Curcic, 6-7 (2), 6-4, (10-5).
2. Georgieva (A) def. Brown, 6-2, 6-4.
3. Zerkalova (A) def. Wurzburg, 6-3, 6-4.
4. Mikhailova (A) def. Sichko, 6-4, 6-1.
5. Retlev (A) def. Gaskin, 6-1, 6-1.
6. Berthod (B) def. Kligman, 6-1, 6-1.