Box Score UTICA, NY - The Utica University tennis team is set for a crucial week with a pair of Empire 8 matches with postseason implications. The team will host Russell Sage College on Saturday, October 7 at noon before welcoming Hartwick College for a bout on Sunday, October 8 at 1 p.m.
 
Last Time Out: The team collected its first Empire 8 victory of the season beating Houghton 6-3 on Friday night. Utica was phenomenal in doubles sweeping the board winning all three matches. Isabella Bonapace (Leonia, NJ/Leonia) and Ellen Lyga (New Hartford, NY/Notre Dame) won 8-4 while Selma Dizdarevic (Utica, NY/Proctor) and Paetra Heeren (Warwick, NY/Warwick Valley) won their match 8-5. Callie Ott (Rome, NY/Rome Free Academy) and Lyndsey Tiedemann (Salt Point, NY/Franklin D Roosevelt) rounded out doubles winning their match 8-7 in extra games 7-5. Lyga continued her wonderful singles play winning 6-0, 6-0. Dizdarevic also took care of business, winning 6-2, 6-0. Tiedemann also won her singles match 6-2, 6-1 and has started to heat up as this is her second consecutive singles win.
 
Postseason Scenario: At 1-3 in league play and currently in fifth place (one spot out of a playoff berth), Utica will need to defeat Russell Sage on Saturday to have a chance at a postseason berth. If the Pioneers cannot, they would be eliminated with a loss. The team can finish as high as fourth or as low as sixth proving how crucial the match against Sage is.
 
Let That Racket Talk: Ellen Lyga (New Hartford, NY/Notre Dame) has been phenomenal this season and turned in a fantastic singles performance winning 6-0, 6-0 against Houghton University. She then won her doubles match with Isabella Bonapace (Leonia, NJ/Leonia) 8-4 to complete her perfect week. The graduate student is now 5-2 in singles this season and is in the midst of a two-game winning streak. 
 
Heating Up: Lyndsey Tiedemann (Salt Point, NY/Franklin D Roosevelt) has been playing her best when it matters as she has won two consecutive singles matches in impressive fashion. The sophomore is earning crucial points for Utica as it is in the midst of Empire 8 play and looks to keep the good times rolling into the big week. 
 
The Time is Now: The Pioneers are playing their best tennis of the season at the right time with Empire 8 postseason play looming. Selma Dizdarevic (Utica, NY/Proctor), Ellen Lyga (New Hartford, NY/Notre Dame), Jackie Roberts (Herkimer, NY/Notre Dame), and Lydnsey Tiedemann are all in the midst of a winning streak in singles. The duos of Paetra Heeren (Warwick, NY/Warwick Valley)/Selma Dizdarevic (Utica, NY/Proctor) and Isabella Bonapace (Leonia, NJ/Leonia)/Ellen Lyga (New Hartford, NY/Notre Dame) are both on two match winning streaks and look to continue their strong play and earn the Pioneers some hard earned points.
 
Scouting Sage: The Gators boast a 4-6 record and are 2-2 in Empire 8 play thus far. The team can clinch a postseason berth with a win over Utica on Saturday and can potentially finish as high as second or as low as fifth. Claire Connolly is the team's ace in singles with a perfect 3-0 record while Emma Nuzi is another strong player holding a 2-1 record. The duo of Connolly and Gwen Eichen have been dominant with a 3-0 record thus far taking down opposing team's aces. The two teams met previously on Wednesday, September 13 with Utica defeating Sage 5-4 in a non-conference match.
 
Looking at Hartwick: The Hawks have clinched a postseason berth and can finish no worse than second in the E8 regular season standings. They would clinch the No. 1 seed and right to host the E8 Tournament with a win over Alfred on Saturday. A loss and they would be the No. 2 seed. Hartwick is led by Jade Killikelly, Colleen Marsh, and Maggie Van Valkenburgh who each have more than six wins in singles thus far. Killikelly and Phoebe Olson boast a 6-3 duos record while the pair of Marsh and Gianna Leggieri are undefeated with a 4-0 record.
 
Up Next: The team will conclude its regular season hosting SUNY Oneonta on Wednesday, October 11 at 3:30 p.m.