INDIANA, Pa. - The Mercyhurst University women's tennis team advanced to the NCAA Division II Atlantic Regional Championship after a 5-0 blanking of West Liberty in the semifinal round on Saturday afternoon, hosted by Indiana University of Pennsylvania.

The Lakers, seeded third in the region, improved to 13-4 on the season while the Hilltoppers, the #6 seed, ended their season at 13-10.

Mercyhurst had little resistance in winning all three doubles matches despite a couple of tweaks to the lineup by head coach Jerome Simon. Freshmen Saioa Gomez de Segura and Adrianna Jeffress teamed up for the first time all season at #1 and posted an 8-2 victory over West Liberty's top duo of Lauren Howard and Raquel Cabero. The same could be said at #2 where senior Sarah Baich teamed up with her sister, sophomore Annie Baich, for an identical 8-2 victory. It was also the first time they had played together all season.

Freshman Adina Spahalic and senior Katelyn Caniford teamed up, as usual, at #3 and posted an 8-6 victory for the doubles sweep. Spahalic and Caniford improved to 8-8 as a team this season.

Mercyhurst ousted the Hilltoppers when the Baich sisters each posted straight-set singles victories. The younger sister, Annie, earned a 6-0, 6-1 victory over Ekaterina Pinchuk at #4 while Sarah completed the shutout with a 6-0, 6-3 win at #3 over Cabero.

The Lakers will get their third crack at Indiana University of Pennsylvania in the Atlantic Regional Championship on Sunday afternoon at 12:00 p.m. Mercyhurst is 0-2 against the Crimson Hawks this season, losing 8-1 during the regular season and 5-0 in the opening round of the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Tournament.

#3 Mercyhurst 5, #6 West Liberty 0
Doubles Competition
1. Saioa Gomez de Segura / Adrianna Jeffress (MER) def. Lauren Howard / Raquel Cabero (WLU) 8-2
2. Sarah Baich / Annie Baich (MER) def. Emily Dawson / Alaina Pauley (WLU) 8-2
3. Adina Spahalic / Katelyn Caniford (MER) def. Ekaterina Pinchuk / Lisa Nachtwey (WLU) 8-6
Singles Competition
1. Saioa Gomez de Segura (MER) vs. Lauren Howard (WLU) 4-6, unfinished
2. Adrianna Jeffress (MER) vs. Emily Dawson (WLU) 6-1, 5-3, unfinished
3. Sarah Baich (MER) def. Raquel Cabero (WLU) 6-0, 6-3
4. Annie Baich (MER) def. Ekaterina Pinchuk (WLU) 6-0, 6-1
5. Adina Spahalic (MER) vs. Andrea Puga (WLU) 6-3, 1-1, unfinished
6. Katelyn Caniford (MER) vs. Lisa Nachtwey (WLU) 6-0, 2-0, unfinished