By Mick Kowaleski ’14

Photo courtesy of Athletic Communications

The Lafayette women’s team couldn’t muster enough to make it out of the first round of the Patriot League Tournament last Friday, losing to Navy 4-0 in the quarterfinals.

The Midshipmen were ranked second in the Patriot League, while the Leopards entered the tournament as the seventh overall seed.

Navy junior Darien Sears led the way for the navy and gold, defeating Lafayette sophomore Amanda Kusnierz 6-0, 6-0 in third singles for a point.

She also partnered up with Logan Antill ‘16 to capture third doubles. The pair triumphed 8-1 over Leopards Alison Dally ‘13 and Ally Simels‘16 to help score the doubles point for the Midshipmen.

Senior Emani Decquir and freshman Sam Droop also emerged victorious for Navy in doubles to secure the point, overcoming Kusnierz and junior Lucy Bass 8-2 in second doubles.

Junior Erin Snook beat Lafayette sophomore Jordyn Spellberg 6-0, 6-0 in second singles to also give a point to Navy. Junior Darien Sears contributed with a victory over freshman Catherine Senopoulos 6-1, 6-0 to give Navy their final point.

While Lafayette was eliminated from the tournament, Navy marched to the Patriot League Championship to face rival Army, who was ranked first in the conference. The Midshipmen were no match for the Black Knights, who handily defeated them 4-1 to secure their ninth straight tennis championship.

Meanwhile, the Leopards sit back and lick their wounds over a season that ended in less-than-stellar fashion. They finish the 2012-13 academic year with a 4-10 overall record, 0-5 in the Patriot League.

It was Lafayette’s fifth straight year with an early, first-round exit from the Patriot League Tournament.

Next year, they return three juniors in Bass, Austin Denesuk, and Liza Blank. They’ll only lose one senior in Alison Dally while also welcoming back a bevy of sophomores and freshmen.